Prelude of Darkness
by Peridot-Garcia
Summary: It's barely been two months after the battle with Toffee and already Mewni is bracing for another attack. Eclipsa's free and Mewni isn't sure how to handle the news. [Sequel to "Who Are You, Who Am I?" w/ slight Starco. (I don't own SVTFOE, Daron and Disney do)] {Updated on Fridays]
1. Chapter 1: Inquiries and Revelations

**Inquiries and Revelations**

The low rumble of thunder filled the empty corridors. Butterfly Castle loomed over its small community, lit up by the occasional flash of lightning. In the past, a certain king would have romanticized a special someone with the alluring sounds of the storm. However, the royal couple had more pressing matters to deal with. Inside the queen's private study, three figures sat around a fire place.

"Before we can find Star, we need to figure out how to give her memories back for when we do find her." The young teen looked across the room at the couple.

"Your absolutely right, Marco. You see, the spell that was used takes away memories from the chosen target. The same spell, with a few word changes, can be used to return memories to their original owner." The blue-haired queen recited the short spell for Marco and the king. Moon poured herself a cup of tea from a tray.

"How come the spell wore off for you and not Star?" There were many questions swirling in the young teen's mind. He took an empty cup and filled it with the steamy brew.

"When Star fired the spell, it rebounded off a mirror, hitting a crystal. The crystal fractured the spell into different sized beams that shot into different directions within her room. I was hit with the smallest beam. Meanwhile, Star was hit with one of the larger ones. That's why I only lost part of my memory and was able to reclaim it after a short period of time." Moon carefully took a sip from the cup. She handed her saucer and cup to River to hold for her.

"There's something else that's been bothering me. I took Star to the Plains of Time to show her memories to her, but nothing showed up on the screens. Why didn't that work?" Marco had been dying for this one burning question to be answered. Ever since that moment, he'd been thinking of possible explanations but was still dreadfully confused. Hopefully, now he would get an answer with an explanation.

"I tried to explain that to Star when I first started teaching her the spell. See, the spell takes your memories, meaning they're practically nonexistent once they're removed. When you took Star to see her memories, they didn't appear because they weren't there. The beam that hit me wasn't strong enough to remove the memories, but it did cause temporary amnesia."

"Huh, that explains it. So…are her memories inside the wand?"

"I can only guess as to where they go, it would make sense though." Moon sipped on her cup of tea to soothe her throat. She had addressed the entire guard about Star's disappearance earlier. She wasn't used to raising her voice to be heard, so naturally she was parched. River removed her tea from her and poured more into the cup.

"Moon, do you think there's a chance she might slowly regain her memories? After all, she did remember a select few." River was still worrying about his little girl. How was she doing? Was Eclipsa teaching her to love monsters? Was Star going to become the second Queen of Darkness? He simply didn't know.

"I'm not sure. I'm hoping she'll remember enough to leave Eclipsa and return home. Unfortunately, I don't think she'll leave on her own accord. Something tells me that Star left with her willingly." Star's diary entries still haunted her thoughts. Moon kept telling herself that if she had just hugged her more, Star might be laughing with them. Guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders, threatening to crush her at any time. Moon never wanted Star to be like her, she simply wanted her to be prepared in case history decided to repeat itself.

"Queen Moon, why is Eclipsa considered evil anyway? I mean, yeah, I read her chapter, but that can't really be the only reason." Marco took a quick sip of his tea. He could understand why the chapter had been locked away by Glossaryck, but felt like there was more hidden. Out of the corner of his eye, Marco noticed the queen tense at the question.

"Well, if you're going to be fighting Eclipsa, I suppose you should know what you're up against." Moon leaned forward and released her hair. It bothered her to leave it up when she was having private conversations with close people. Her long blue locks tumbled down, releasing the tension that was beginning to form a headache.

"Eclipsa Butterfly is the only queen known to experiment with dark magic. Not to mention the fact that she abdicated the throne for a monster. Her spells caused much pain and destruction, as well as civil unrest between monsters and Mewmans. As a result, Rhombulus crystalized her."

"Personally, I have experienced her dark magic. When I was younger, another battle was waged between monsters and Mewmans. My mother…she was…killed and I was made queen. The following week, I had to decide between war and peace. I foolishly chose to speak with Eclipsa instead of deciding. I made a deal with her; she would give me a spell in exchange for her freedom. The spell would allow me to kill Toffee, which would complete the contract and free her. Instead, I removed Toffee's finger so neither could win. However, that's not all that happened." Moon took another long sip of tea, finishing her cup for the second time.

"The spell…caused me to lose control of my magic. I struck other monsters and dealt much damage. One monster killed my pet pig-goat before fleeing with the others into the forest. I was ashamed of my decision later, but at the time it was the only reasonable thing to do. Mewni would have fallen if I had faltered." Moon leaned on River, suddenly weary from her long explanation.

"Moon, dearest, why don't you go lie down? You seem especially tired today, I'm worried you'll get sick from all this stress." Genuinely worried for his wife's wellbeing, River escorted his wife to bed. Once he was sure she was fast asleep, he returned to the young boy.

"Will she be alright? I know I don't know her that well, but she seems…different lately."

"Marco, Moon loves Star very much, so all of this is taking a toll on her. I don't know how to help her. She's torn between ruling the kingdom and finding Star; it keeps her up at night." River sat down in front of Marco. He was worried about Star, yes, but now he was more worried about his wife. How much more heartache could she possibly take before she completely snapped? Darkness loomed over the royal family and Marco, threatening to swallow up Mewni as well.

"Maybe she should put off her duties? I know, that not something she's willing to do, but…it's not healthy for her to stress over both. Why…why is it so bad for Eclipsa to be with Star," Marco was afraid to hear the answer, but knew it might help them bring Star back.

"Do you remember when Star was evaluated?"

"Yes, that thing ate all our food! Then she yelled at me and Star." Anger rushed through the young teen's veins. Baby had eaten all the food he made and treated them poorly.

"Well, it turns out Star's extremely powerful. She was, or is, near Eclipsa's level of magic, which is higher than all the other queens. Star is quite possibly the only one who can defeat Eclipsa, but if she's on her side, we don't stand a chance. Ever since we found out, Moon's been worried about the two meeting. Now it's too late," the old king balled his fists. He dreaded the thought of battle, knowing that if they fought, Star might be imprisoned or killed.

"Thank you, River, for confiding in me," Marco stood and walked to the door. "I promise, I'll bring Star back safely and we'll all laugh about this in the future. Get some rest, I think the three of us should ride out tomorrow and search ourselves." Marco exited the study and made his way to his room.

Brooding, River stared at the dying fire to his right. _He'd make a great king one day. There's no doubt the two are very close, even if they go separate ways, Star will benefit from their friendship. We'll get her back, even if I die trying._


	2. Chapter 2: Obsolescent

**Obsolescent**

Deep within the Jaggy Mountains, past the ruins of Castle Avarius, two lone figures sat in a cave around a small fire. The cave was large enough to hold at least fifteen people and had smooth walls from wind and snow erosion. The blonde-haired teen stared into the fire, debating her next move. Across from her sat a slightly older looking woman who was eyeing the small child.

"So, why exactly is everyone afraid of you? I don't remember much, but everyone told me to fear you and hide," the teen looked up at the forgotten queen. In the day that she spent with her, she didn't seem evil or intimidating, just…misunderstood.

"The Mewmans speculated many things about my spell, but I'd estimate it to be caused by my union with a monster. They weren't exactly fond of that idea." The old queen fluffed her hair, expecting more questions from the small child. She certainly reminded her of the blue-haired queen that had sought advice not long ago. _Wonder how the young queen is now?_

"Why does Mewni even hate monsters? I apparently have monster friends, so…why don't we get along?" Star tossed a small stick into the fire, watching it burn with hungry eyes. Nothing made sense to her and she hadn't remembered anything since she left Butterfly Castle.

"That's what I wondered when I was younger, my husband was very sweet and endearing to me. I had the impression that they were evil when I was a child, but I came to love them. Apparently, they ruthlessly killed Mewmans for land in the earliest years of settlement. I wanted to help them become allies when I learned about our dark history. However, I merely caused the kingdom to fear me and monsters more. Surely your parents disapprove of your monster allies?"

"I…can't remember. I don't want to remember either. I…I just…I don't know!" Star didn't want to remember, but without her memories, she couldn't decide what to do.

"It sounds like you need to remember. I can give you back your memories, but you'll have to help me in return. Nothing drastic, I promise."

"…Will it hurt?" Star felt like she was going to regret the decision but knew it was for the best. She trusted this queen more than she did her own mother. Eclipsa chuckled and stood, pointing at the frightened princess.

"Keeper of Memories, Holder of Secrets,

Return the clock's hands of age and resume."

A bolt of light struck Star, stunning her as a flood of memories erupted back into her mind. As the last of her memories returned, Star passed out on the floor. The dark queen covered the sleeping princess and moved back to where she was sitting.

 _She may very well be the key to solving Mewni's problems. Oh, my beloved, how I wish I could see you now! Those pesky fools at the Magic High Commission will feel my wrath. Perhaps we'll pay Butterfly Castle a visit tomorrow. Then I'll be able to see what my next course of action will be._ The Queen of Darkness laughed quietly to herself. Normally, she wouldn't hold a grudge, but they froze her on mere speculation. She might never see her beloved ever again and she was going to make the Commission pay dearly.

Star woke up to the smell of cooking meat. At first, she thought she was back in her tower at the Diaz Residence. However, she quickly remembered everything and looked around for her grandmother. Surprisingly, she still sat in the same spot while a small animal cooked over the tiny fire.

"Good morning, I was afraid I stood too close to you when I launched that spell. How do you feel, hungry?" Eclipsa smiled as she patted the spot next to her. Star made her way over and sat next to the bubbly queen.

"Guess this wasn't a dream after all. What are we gonna do, I told my mother awful stuff!" Star looked down at her feet. She felt incredibly guilty about how she had treated her mother. She could only imagine how her mother was taking it. Eclipsa pulled Star in for a hug.

"I'm afraid you can't return just yet, we have business to attend to first."

"What do you mean, I have to go back! I never meant those things I said, I was confused. I'm a terrible person, this is one of the worst things I've ever done." Star pulled on her hair and stared defiantly at Eclipsa.

"I'm afraid not right at this second. See, your family and friends don't share the same beliefs as you and me. They don't care about the suffering of monsters, they only care about themselves. Didn't you say you had monster friends?"

"Well…yes, but-"

"We both know nothing will change if we don't help them. Together, we can create a better future. I'm obsolete, but you are about to ascend to the throne. This is the perfect time to groom you into the queen you want to be. That is what you want, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but…you're evil! You have a forbidden chapter and you're almost completely erased from history. I only just learned about you. No one will listen to me, they'll just recrystallize you and me as well." Star stepped back from an ominous looking Eclipsa. Her eyes seemed to glow in the firelight, sending chills throughout Star's body.

"I'm aware of that. That's where you come in. I'll tell you what to do, and the others will listen to you. Everyone believes in your pure nature, so they easily accept change. I can't reclaim the throne, but you can do what I couldn't. If you agree, you can return home today," she stood and stuck out a gloved hand. Star thought about it for a second, her conscious warned her not to, but Star shook her hand. "Good, now we'll eat quickly before I return you to Butterfly Castle."

Star stared at her hand, fearing it would change before her eyes. The last time someone else had shaken Eclipsa's hand, a dark contract had been formed. Star knew it still haunted her mother, so she was equally scared. The two ate in silence, the only sound being an occasional sip of water from Star. Finally, the two reached the entrance of the cave. In the far distance, the outline of Butterfly Castle could be seen. _Don't worry you guys, I'm coming home._ Hoping that she wouldn't regret her decision, she stepped through the portal and into Butterfly Castle.

Marco, Queen Moon, and King River were eating breakfast in the dining hall before they had to search for Star. Marco was talking to River about other ways to enjoy nature on Earth. Meanwhile, Moon emotionlessly ate her breakfast. She felt more empty today than she had in the past. Star was constantly on her mind, making Moon's life a living hell. She was about to dismiss herself when a random portal appeared near the entrance of the hall. As two familiar figures stepped out of the portal, Moon felt her heart leap with joy as she ran to her child.

In an instance, her arms were wrapped tightly around her daughter, squeezing her to make sure she was real. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face in Star's shoulders, grateful that she was safe and sound. She felt Star hug her back just as tightly, united with her mother once more.

"Moon, get back!" River's voice sounded harsh and agitated. It was then that Moon remembered Eclipsa was a few paces away from her. She dragged Star away and stared down the dark queen. Marco and River joined Moon, ready for any surprise attacks Eclipsa might throw.

"Wait, it's okay! She won't hurt you, she's just misunderstood." Star separated herself from the others and shielded Eclipsa.

"Star, she's manipulative, not misunderstood. Did she hurt you, brainwash you?" Moon cupped Star's face and looked over her face. A loud laugh sounded from the uninvited queen.

"How'd that spell work out for you, hm? It seems like I was in that crystal longer than I'd hoped. You've grown up and had a little girl. I hope it was worth it." Eclipsa covered her mouth with her ungloved right hand and laughed. "Don't worry, I only meant to bring you the girl. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my leave."

Before Moon could stop her, Eclipsa retreated through the portal. Her laugh echoing throughout the hall. The princess blushed, unnerved by their stares. The four decided to move to Moon's study for more privacy.

"Star, we were so worried about you! How many times do we have to tell you to stop doing that to us," Marco hugged Star before stepping back. He had forgotten her parents were also I the room. "I just…really missed you."

"Star, sweetie, I-"

"Hold on Moon, I meant it when I said you were to have this discussion in private. Marco and I will wait outside while the two of you talk. Come along m'boy." Moon was thankful that the two had left, now there wouldn't be any interuptions.

"Mommy, I am so sorry! I never meant those things, I swear. I…I love you." Star rushed her mother, continuing the spine crushing hug from the dining hall. Moon was glad that her daughter had her memories back. However, River was correct, they needed to talk and answer any questions they had for each other.

"Star, I'm sorry if you ever felt like a disappointment or unworthy of my love. I should have expressed it more to you and your father. All of this has showed me how wrong I was and what I need to do. And Star," Moon looked her daughter in the eyes, wiping away her tears, "you don't have to be like me. I want you to be you, but prepared. You may not think it, but Eclipsa has it out for me because I tricked her. If something should happen to me, I don't want you to panic from all the sudden stress. I love you and I only want the best for you."

Star nodded, admiring her mother's strength. Star kissed her mother's cheek and resumed hugging her. They continued to hug until Moon's arms got tired. She pulled a few leaves out of Star's hair before they continued their conversation.

"Mom, those…those journal entries I wrote, I'm sorry. They were uncalled for and highly immature, I should have never written them."

"Star, it's alright. I'm just glad you're home and safe. Now, let's call Marco and your father in." Moon gave her daughter a warm smile. She opened the door and motioned for the others to join them. "Now, we need to discuss what we're going to do about Eclipsa."

"But Eclipsa isn't evil. I spent a day with her and she hugged me and fed me. She's like…super nice and understanding. Just…give her a chance, okay?" Star looked over at Marco, even he seemed against trusting Eclipsa. She agreed with Eclipsa about monster equality, but they weren't going to listen to her if she kept bringing up how nice the old queen was. Begrudgingly, Star decided to do as she promised and do as Eclipsa instructed.

"Star, Eclipsa's evil, there's no denying that. Remember what happened after I read her chapter, I turned evil! We both know she can't be trusted. Just…trust us." Marco laid a hand on Star's right shoulder. This was the only time she could convince them she had changed her mind.

"Okay," Star looked at her parents, "but she's probably not staying where we were last at. I'm sure she's moved somewhere else."

"What did she do with you? Did she put any spell on you?" River pushed Marco over and hugged Star.

"Nah, she just…wanted to comfort me. Pfft, I'm sure she won't try anything. Besides, she brought me back, didn't she?" Star picked a leaf out of her hair. "All she did was give me my memories back. Soooo…uh, when can I go shower? I smell pretty bad, worse than that hoodie I stole from Marco."

"Oh, yes. You can go bathe while I contact the Magic High Commission, they'll want to know that you're back and safe." Moon watched her daughter leave before turning to the others. "She's hiding something."

"And what could that be, dear?" A concerned look came over River's face. "She seemed honest to me."

"I'm not sure just yet, but she seemed too attached to Eclipsa. I'm afraid Star might have made a deal with her. I don't want to press her for information because she might leave again," fear and insecurity caused the worried mother to voice her thoughts.

"I'll find out and tell you guys. She trusts me so I might be able to convince her to say what really happened." Marco smiled and looked out the window.

"You might ruin your friendship with Star though? Are you sure you want to do this?" Moon was surprised by the young boy's proposition.

"If it'll help Star, then yes, I'll do it for her."


	3. Chapter 4: Full Disclosure

**Full Disclosure**

Star and Marco raced to the warnicorn stable and quickly selected one to ride. The rebel princess mounted her mare and left her best friend to eat her dust. Laughing hysterically, the young boy raced after the blur of blonde that was Star Butterfly. He finally caught up to her near Mewni's beloved corn field.

"Star, you left me behind. Gosh, I don't know why you thought Earth was better. I'd totally stay here forever," an out-of-breath Marco said. He stopped next to her and rubbed his sore hands.

"At least on Earth, I don't have to worry about my parents watching me all the time. I wish I hadn't learned that stupid memory spell. Now I have to worry about Eclipsa and you three," Star gripped her reins and lowered her head, not wanting Marco to see her frustration.

"Star…what's…what's going on with you and Eclipsa? I can tell you're hiding something from me. So…just tell me, okay?" Marco smiled at the troubled princess. She sniffed and looked back over at him.

"Okay, but…you can't tell anyone else," the princess threatened, "no one else can know, no one! I…I kinda made a deal with her."

"What! Star, you said you didn't," Marco yelled in shock.

"I didn't make a deal like my mother, but it's definitely bothering me. I, uh, said I would help her get equality for monsters. That can't be too bad, can it?" Star nervously rubbed her arm.

"That doesn't sound evil, but…Star, why? What did she do that made you make a deal with her?"

"She gave me my memories in return for my assistance. But Marco, I'm scared that she wants to do something else. I mean, look at everything evil that we know she has done. She has a chapter about death and corruption, she knew how to defeat Toffee and her hands. Her HANDS Marco, they're so purple, they're black. We all know what that means; evil!" Star began to shake uncontrollably. Voicing her thoughts out loud made Eclipsa seem even more sinister.

"I wonder why she wants to help monsters if she's capable of destroying with ease? What all does she want you to do?"

"She just wants me to convince people to trust monsters. Ya'know, tell them that they're actually kind and stuff, but that's why she's so confusing to me. She wants to help monsters, but she's also hiding something else. She seems kind at first, but the longer you're around her, she starts to scare you. I'm scared, Marco! What if the Magic High Commission crystalize me forever because of all this?" Small tears began to stream down the terrified girl's cheeks. Marco lifted his hands and carefully wiped them away.

"Look Star…I don't know what's gonna happen, but I know that you're just trying to do what's right. If the Magic High Commission try to lock you up, I'll free you. As for Eclipsa, well, we'll just have to see what she's up to. It doesn't sound like she's trying to make you do anything evil, but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down."

"Okay," Star whispered, "I mean, I want to help monsters. Look at Buff Frog, he gets along with my mother now and she hates monsters!"

"Yeah, how exactly did that happen?"

"It's a long story. You wanna hear it?" Star was excited to tell Marco about Buff Frog and the queen's meeting.

"Sure, but first, let's dismount and find a place to sit. My butt's starting to get sore," Marco said as he rubbed his lower back. The two found an area to sit so Star could tell her story.

* * *

Several hours later, Star and the other's bid each other good night before heading to their rooms. An hour later, three figures met at the queen's personal study for a private meeting. The figures stayed in the dark until everyone was in the room. A small fire was lit while the other two figures sat.

"Marco, care to explain why we had to meet in the middle of the night?" The disgruntled queen didn't appear to be very happy about their sudden meeting. Beside her, a tired king yawned as he struggled to stay conscious.

"I know what Star's hiding, but…she's not gonna be happy that I told you. I just thought that you should know." Marco carefully spoke, not wanting to alarm the two too much. Unfortunately, his words weren't calming to the tired parents.

"What?" The queen's hand quickly covered her mouth. Her face paled and her hands began to quiver in fear and anxiety.

"Spill it boy, is Star tainted?" River jumped to his feet, adrenaline suddenly coursing through his body. Marco raised his hands in defense, afraid that the king was going to beat the information out of him.

"Wait, I'll explain," Marco quickly said, "Eclipsa's not having her do anything that should alarm you. Well, it still might, but it's nothing that will get her in trouble with the Commission." The two seemed to calm down, but Marco could tell that they were still apprehensive about Marco's news.

"Wh-what is Star doing exactly? First, did she make a deal with her?" Moon fought her fear and questioned the young boy. She wanted to know what Eclipsa wanted with her innocent daughter.

"Star said she kinda made a deal with Queen Eclipsa and that all she wants is for Star to convince Mewni to befriend monsters. However, Star did say that she was worried that she might have ulterior motives. Queen Moon, Star's scared that Eclipsa's going to get her in trouble with the Commission," Marco tried to give them all the information he knew in as few sentences as he possibly could. He was afraid someone would catch them, someone like Star.

"I knew it, monster love. Queen Eclipsa wants to corrupt my little girl with that nonsense."

"River, be glad it's not something that could completely destroy Mewni!" Moon tried to reason with her upset husband. He looked at her in utter shock.

"But Moon, you hate monsters because they…you know. Besides, all monsters are evil."

"But they're not all evil. We're allies with the Avarius' and I even teamed up with Buff Frog. Surely Star can do this without destroying Mewni."

"Now, Moon, we're talking about Star. She didn't trust us with this information and she lied to the Commission. What if there's more and she's hiding the dark bits from Marco?"

"I highly doubt Star would lie to me. Come on, Star makes friends with everybody. She's the only one who could fix Mewni."

"Not if Eclipsa wants Mewmans to trust monsters so they can attack us when we've finally let our guard down. Mewmans and monsters will never get along!" River was beginning to shout, causing Marco and Moon to panic.

"River, keep it down," whispered Moon angrily, "Star wouldn't have agreed if it seemed evil."

"But Star thinks that Eclipsa's hiding something. What if that's what she wants? Star distracts the Mewmans while monsters get close until one day Eclipsa jumps out and uses the monsters to take over."

"That's not going to happen because Mewmans will never trust monsters. I, however, am willing to try and accept them so you should too." Moon laid a hand over her heart. She was in debt to Buff Frog for all that he did to help save Star. Star had told her how they became friends and why Mewni should "get with the times".

"Unacceptable rubbish! Monsters are monsters, they simply can't be trusted. What if they attack you too? Moon, I can't take that chance," River said with a quivering voice. Finally, the others realized why he was so adamant about keeping the monsters out. He was afraid they'd kill Moon like her mother was killed. He didn't want to live without her or Star.

"I'll…I'll leave you two alone. Goodnight," said Marco quietly, "if you have questions, you can ask me tomorrow when I'm not with Star." He left the study without another word. The study was eerily quiet now that the couple had voiced their thoughts.

"River…River that's not going to happen. These aren't the same monsters from before. If this is all Eclipsa wants, I'm willing to give it to her if it means she'll leave us alone." Solemnly, the queen grabbed her king's large, rough hands.

"Moon," he said softly as he leaned into her, "I can't take that chance. I'm not just worried about you, but Star as well. What if Eclipsa wants to take out her competition? I couldn't live with myself if Star was hurt or ki-" Moon brought her lips to River's. Her soft, sweet kiss settled his nerves, filling the two with a sense of security. Moon broke the kiss and wiped away River's tears. She smiled sweetly at her loving husband.

"I won't let that happen. I wish I could easily remove Eclipsa from our lives so we could just live peacefully, but this is all my fault. I won't let Star get dragged into my mess and I won't let Eclipsa have her way."

"Fine, but we can't tell Star that we know. That might alert Eclipsa and cause her to attack Star. Let's…just be careful, okay?"

"Okay. Now, why don't we go to bed, I'm emotionally drained." Moon put out the fire before leaving the study. _I hope this is all Eclipsa wants. If it takes monster equality to satisfy her, then we'll start first thing tomorrow._

* * *

Update: I broke my glasses, so…sorry for any typos I might've missed. I'm hoping that everyone seems in character for the most part, but with Eclipsa I'm not too sure. I know she might be misunderstood, but let's face it, she taunted Moon in the preview and her chapter was forbidden for obvious reasons stated in _Page Turner_. Oh well, hoped you enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 5:Unexpected Teamwork

**Unexpected Teamwork**

"Wha-wait, can you repeat that again?" Star's jaw was practically on the floor. _Did I just hear what I think I heard? Maybe I'm dreaming or Mom's lost her marbles._

"Honestly, Star, I don't know what the big deal is. All I said was we should start allowing monsters to mix with Mewmans. It's not like I'm telling you you're getting married to some random prince," Moon calmly repeated. Star rubbed her eyes and pinched her arm.

"O…kay, I guess?"

"Star, you're the one who told me to 'get with the times'. I'm only following your advice and embracing your point of view. If it's too much for you, then we can just forget about it and move on with your training." Moon finished scribbling a few notes on a piece of parchment before returning her focus on Star.

"I mean, yeah, that's what I said. I just…never thought you'd think about it," said a dumbfounded Star. "I never imagined you…becoming friends with any monster…like, ever!"

"Star, people can change. Well, what's your answer; help the monsters or ignore them like always?"

"Mo-mom! We can't ignore them. Look at how they live, it's just sad. The only bad monsters I ever met worked for Ludo, and that was because they needed a job to survive. Buff Frog became my friend after Ludo sacked him. I think that's proof enough that we can trust them." Star sat down in front of her mother. _Odd, I never brought up helping monsters, but Marco wouldn't have ratted me out. Maybe she is willing to change, which means I won't have to listen to Eclipsa!_ "Woohoo! Whoops, didn't realize I was cheering out loud…my bad."

"It's alright Star. Now, let's discuss how we're going to start introducing monsters into the kingdom," said the queen as she raised her cup of tea. She took a long sip and waited for her daughter to respond.

"Well, we could start with Buff Frog. He did help you with Toffee after all. We could…give him a royal…status?" Star raised her arms in question.

"That's a start. What else could we do to show the monsters we want to be their friends?" Moon smiled, enjoying the rare moments she could watch her daughter in deep thought.

"Oh, I know! Let's give them access to the corn. We could grow more to feed both monsters and Mewmans. If both sides are full of food, then they'll be happy. And…it'll show that we really want to be friends because we cherish corn so much!" Star jumped on top of her seat, slamming her hands down on Moon's desk. Moon leaned back, shocked by her daughter's intensity.

"Star, have you been thinking about this for a while?"

"Actually…yes. See, back on Earth we celebrated Mewnipendence Day, but Marco pointed out how unfair we fought. Then, I saw Buff Frog, who had just been fired by Toffee, and he looked hungry. So, I left a plate of corn on the window. Ever since, I haven't seen monsters as, well, monsters."

"Star, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because everyone on Mewni hates monsters. I was afraid you'd bring me back because I was becoming evil. Besides, you would've been really mad to find out that I was still fighting monsters on Earth."

"Star…well, I can't argue there. The important thing is that now I trust you and I'm willing to try trusting monsters. My dislike for monsters won't disappear overnight, but I will try." Moon rested her hand on top of Star's. A smile stretched across her daughter's face in response.

"Thanks, Mom, it means a lot to me." Star crawled back into her chair. "So, what's next?"

"I think we'll leave it there for now. Why don't you run along and see how Marco's doing?"

"Okay! I'll see you at lunch. Byyyeeee!" Blonde hair streamed out of the room leaving the queen to sit in silence.

"So," thought Moon aloud, "she was already thinking of ways to help monsters. That might be the only reason Eclipsa wanted her help. I guess it can't be helped. We'll have to let monsters in now to avoid a massive war with Eclipsa at the head. Still, what could be Eclipsa's ulterior motives?"

* * *

River, I'll be back. I'm going to talk to some people, watch the kids," Moon called as she dressed to sneak out. From around the corner, she heard her husband's heavy footsteps.

"But Moon, where are you going so late?"

"I'll be back, it's to see if Eclipsa is lurking around the castle. I've been having an uneasy feeling. Don't tell them anything about me leaving. I still don't want Star to find out that we know Eclipsa's plans for her," whispered Moon in River's ear.

"Understood! Be careful, Moon-pie!" River kissed his wife's small hand before leaving to watch the two teens. Moon pulled her hood up and rode off towards the cornfield. She couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

* * *

Meanwhile, Star was in the process of ending her conversation with Eclipsa. She had relayed her day's events with her mother as well as all the planning they had talked about. Star began to ramble before realizing she had said too much.

"…and then I realized I'd never talked about monster equality with my mother, but I had with Marc-, I mean, myself. Yes, myself and no one else…at all." Star tried to hide the fact that she had revealed her secret, but the damage was done.

"What do you mean, you told Marco? No one was to know of our deal or plans because then it would have been all for naught." Eclipsa's voice was filled with anger and impatience. Star backed away from her wand, scared that the dark queen would reach out and grab her. Before the frightened princess could react, the small communication portal disappeared. Seconds later, the purple outline of a ball could be seen soaring through the air.

At first, Star thought that it was going to hit the castle, but realized its target was some ways off. _She's going to destroy our corn field! Without that, we can't make a deal with the monsters!_ Star's heart raced as she watched the ball descend towards the domed corn field. In horror, she realized that the ball was aiming for an entirely different target: her mother.


	5. Chapter 6: Incursion

**Incursion**

Moon was nearing the cornfield when she noticed an eerie purple light overhead. She stopped moving and looked up to see what the source was. Above her, a fast approaching ball of black and purple was beginning to descend. The queen narrowly dodged the spell before it hit the ground. Unfortunately, she was still in close proximity to the spell and was greatly wounded.

"Aahhh, my…my leg," cried out Moon. Her warnicorn had landed on her left leg, crushing her thigh bone. The spooked warnicorn sat up before sprinting back in the direction of the castle. Feebly, the queen tried to move only to have her entire body light up with pain. "Wai-" The wounded queen fainted, her final thoughts were about her family's safety.

* * *

"MOM," Star screamed as the spell struck the ground. "Marco," she called as she ran from her room, "Marco get my dad and go to the corn field, quickly!"

"What, what's wrong?" Marco struggled to put on his shirt and hoodie. "Star? Star, where are you going?"

"Marco, there's no time, just get my father and go to the corn field. My…my mother's been attacked!" Star summoned Cloudy and immediately departed for the corn field.

"River, King River," Marco shouted as he pounded on the door, "quickly, Queen Moon's been attacked!" He jumped back in alarm as the door quickly swung open to reveal a battle-ready king.

"Where, who's attacked her? I'll kill them," he said with a wild glare in his eye. He grabbed Marco and pushed him up against the corridor wall. "Where's Moon-pie? Well, speak up boy!"

"Sh-she's at the corn field, that's what Star said! We have to hurry, Star's already left." River let go of the frightened boy as he finished speaking. The king picked up Marco and dashed out of the castle. Right now, he was the fastest creature on Mewni and nothing was going to stop him from reaching his wife.

* * *

"Mommy, Mom," the princess called as she neared the corn field. "Mom, are you alright?" She jumped down from Cloudy and crouched next to her mother. From what Star could tell, her mother only had a few cuts and numerous bruises.

"Oh my, did something happen to your mother?"

"Eclipsa," gasped Star in trepidation, "you did this, didn't you?" Star pulled out her wand and aimed it at the queen who stood several feet away. "She didn't do anything wrong. I followed your orders, didn't I? So why, why did you hurt my mother?"

"Is she really all that innocent, dearie? All of them knew we had a deal because you told that boy. They all hid it from you to see what else I would do. She was going to use you to find me, but she can't if she's no longer in charge. You'll have to be queen, now that your mother won't be able to." Queen Eclipsa stepped up to the angry Star, a wicked smile stretched across her face.

"But she was going to help monsters regardless, it doesn't make sense to attack her like you did. She did nothing wrong!" Tears began to burn Star's eyes as they slid down her cheeks. "Why did you attack my mother?"

"All in good time, my dear, all in good time." Eclipsa walked past Star and into a gray portal, leaving her to question the evil queen's motives once more. Finally, Star returned to her mother's side just as her father and Marco arrived.

"Star, what happened?" River grabbed his wife's hand and held it. "We need to get her out of here and back into the castle. I should have never let her go alone. I'm such a fool!"

"It was Eclipsa. I'm so sorry, this is all my fault!" Tears began to fall more rapidly down her face. The guilt from her mother's attack crashed down on her like an avalanche.

"Star, we need to move your mother without hurting her. We need you to use a spell or something." Marco rested his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. "Everything will be alright, but right now, your mother needs help." Star nodded and wiped away her tears. She summoned Cloudy again and the three carefully placed the queen on top.

"Star, stay with your mother so you can make sure she has a smooth ride. We'll meet you back at the castle with a doctor or two." Marco hopped on the king's back and disappeared among the houses. Star carefully directed Cloudy back to the castle. True to his word, River had doctors at the ready for when Star and Moon arrived. Everyone was kept out of the infirmary while the doctors checked for serious injuries.

"How could you, Marco? Why did you tell my parents, I trusted you?" The princess angrily yelled at the young boy. He jumped back as she stared him down.

"Star they needed to know."

"Oh yeah, well look what happened! If I had never told you, my mother wouldn't have been attacked. I'm so stupid, I should have just kept it to myself and none of this would've happened. But no, I thought you were my best friend who would never betray me!" Star yelled at Marco and felt like her heart was breaking. If she couldn't trust Marco, who could she trust?

"Star, I was only thinking of your safety. You have to understand that Eclipsa was probably already planning to attack your mother. I don't regret telling your parents because it's obvious that Eclipsa has some greater plan in mind." Marco turned away from Star angrily.

"Please, you two, keep it down for Moon's sake. Besides, Star, your mother knew something like this was going to happen. That's why she wanted you to stay close to her so Eclipsa couldn't use you against her. An attack on your mother's life was inevitable, so…calm down and we'll discuss this later." The king was determined to track down Eclipsa now that she had wounded his wife. The door to the infirmary finally opened to reveal the team of doctors covered with small amounts of blood. The head doctor stepped forward to address the group.

"The queen has suffered a few critical injuries as well as multiple minor injuries. She has three broken ribs, two fractured ribs, a fractured humerus, a broken femur, and multiple bruises. She won't be able to attend her duties for quite some time."

"Exactly how long are we talking?" Star was afraid to hear the answer to her question. She wasn't too keen on becoming a temporary queen while her mother recovered.

"About a year, Your Highness. It will take at least eight months for her leg to heal fully. During the first eight months, she'll be spending most of her time doing exercises for her broken ribs. Once her leg is healed, she'll have to do exercises to strengthen her leg muscles for the remaining months."

"You can't use magic to heal her?" Star tried to think of a few spells that might help her mother. "We're both not ready for me to take charge just yet. Remember when I first got the Royal Magic Wand? It'll be that all over again!"

"Star, remember what happened last time you tried to fix my broken hand? We're not doing that again, okay?" Marco rubbed his right hand and cringed.

"Ugh, fine. But just so you're all aware, I'm going to be a terrible queen. So, you know, be prepared and all." Star slumped against the wall and frowned at the idea of being queen at such a young age. "Stupid Eclipsa, stupid magic ball of stupidness."

"Well, Queen Star, what do we do now?" Marco was joking with Star, hoping she was in a better mood from earlier. Star faced the two males and angrily replied.

"You're both grounded, so go to your rooms and don't come out 'til I say you can!"

"But I can't leave your mother!"

"Room, now!" Star pointed upstairs as a disheveled River sadly turned away. "I'll send someone to get you when she wakes up."

"Aw," whimpered River as he climbed the stairs to his room, "she's just like her mother, never lets me do anything. She even yelled at poor Marco." He stopped to stare at a picture of his beautiful wife and sighed. "Goodnight Moon, get well soon." River entered his room and laid on his wife's pillow to breathe in her heavenly scent. Within moments, he finally fell asleep.

* * *

Author's Note: Ever since I found out that the current queen doesn't have to be dead to give up the throne to her heir, I've had a feeling that it might happen to Star. It's killing me to wait until November to see if I'm correct about all my speculations (plus I want more MoonXRiver). Oh well, hoped you enjoyed this chapter!


	6. Chapter 7: Worst Nightmare

**Worst Nightmare**

Slowly and painfully, Moon opened her eyes to find herself back inside the castle. Beside her, she could hear the soft snores of some sleeping figure. Carefully, she turned her head to find that it was Star, not River, sitting next to her. She tried to raise her left hand, but pain seared from her shoulder down to her elbow.

"Ow!" Moon tested her right arm. She could barely pick it up before her chest began to feel tight and on fire. _Okay, let's try legs next._ Moon wiggled her right toes with little to no pain and decided to try her left toes. The second she tensed her left leg pain coursed throughout her body. She started to gasp for air, which caused her chest to hurt even more.

"Mom? Mom," Star said loudly as she leaned closer to her mother. "Are you alright? Just…just calm down, I'll go get one of the nurses." As Star stood to leave, a nurse entered the room with painkillers.

"Oh, seems I came just in time! Here you are, Your Majesty, take these three pills and you'll feel better." The nurse held out a tray with the three purple pills and a small cup of water. Moon grabbed the pills with her right hand, wincing in pain as she quickly tossed the pills into her mouth. She grabbed the cup and hurriedly used the water to finish pushing the pills down.

"Guh, blegh, those are-," Moon began to cough as she struggled against the pain and terrible taste of the pills. She tried to stay still as she waited for the pills to take effect.

"I'll be back in four hours to give you another dose. Try not to move around too much, Your Majesty. Queen Star, I was told to tell you that the Magic High Commission will be here after lunch to visit with you."

"Thank you. Uh…have a…good day?" Star smiled awkwardly as the nurse left the room.

"Di-did she just call you 'Queen Star'?" Moon stared at Star in utter disbelief. It was now that she realized Star was wearing her crown. Star nervously smiled as her eye twitched in annoyance.

"Uh…yeah. I'm in charge for…for a whole year, so…yeah." She frowned. "Woohoo," said Star sarcastically.

"I must be having a feverish dream or just another nightmare, there's no way I'm that wounded that you were put in charge." Moon began to feel the medicine mix in with her disbelief. Her vision was beginning to blur and she could have sworn she saw River peeking at her from the foot of her bed.

"Rude! You know, I wish this was just another one of my nightmares too. I don't want to be queen just yet, I'm not even married!" Star crossed her arms and huffed angrily in her chair.

"Star, stop that this instant, a queen doesn't slouch." Moon sighed, this was going to be a very long year. "I can't believe this is even happening. Where did that spell even come from?" Now, she was seeing a tiny face in the crown jewel.

"Uh…," Star looked around, but avoided her mother's gaze, "well…"

"Star, that wasn't one of your rogue spells, was it?" Moon frowned before closing her eyes, when she reopened them, the little figures had disappeared.

"No," Star sighed, "alright, it was Eclipsa's spell. She knew that the rest of you knew about our deal, which I'm still very mad at Marco for." The room became silent.

"So," Moon said, breaking the silence, "where's your father and Marco?"

"They're being confined to their rooms until Marco's sorry for giving away my secret."

"Star," said Moon sternly.

"Let me finish, geez! Marco's being stubborn, so he's grounded until he apologizes. Dad will come and see you after I leave. Manfred said I have to go and 'address my people' about your condition."

"Well, I'm sure you're you'll do just fine." Moon managed a weak smile before she noticed a small bunny at the foot of her bed. _Uh oh, that medicine's really kicking in now, isn't it? I haven't been in this much pain since Star was born._

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Well, I guess I better release Marco for breakfast and I'll send Dad over here. So, I don't know, have…fun?" Star stood and cringed as Moon began to laugh drowsily. Star could tell the medicine had finally kicked in and quickly left before things got weird.

Fifteen minutes later, River entered the infirmary to find Moon talking to the chair. _Sweet corn, she's lost her marbles._ Slowly, River walked up to his wife and looked around to see if anyone else was in the room. Finally, he sat down in the chair and saw a frown come over her face.

"River, you sat on the little bunnies. What am I supposed to tell their family?" Tears formed around the drugged queen's eyes.

"It's alright, darling, I moved them over before I sat down. You blinked and didn't see it." River quickly convinced Moon that the bunnies were safe and sound.

"Oh, okay. River, don't be rude, say hello to Mr. Nibbles. He's the rabbit ambassador from the Snow Cone Kingdom." Moon chuckled as River waved to all parts of the room. "Silly River, he's standing on your head."

"Oh, I'm very sorry, dear," River said as he waved at his crown. "How are you feeling, Moon?"

"Mm, like I'm floating in dirt. I feel all warm and cozy like a little fire. Wh- River when did you get here?" Moon looked at River in shock. "I can't feel my face and my eye lids keep trying to lay down."

"Okay, why don't you try sleeping?" _She's too far in La La Land to talk to. Well, at least she can't feel anything._ River shifted uncomfortably as he watched Moon ramble on about Mr. Nibbles before she looked at him. His breath caught in his throat with how divine she looked to him, well as divine as she could look in casts.

"River, do you love me?" Moon's voice was soft and innocent, like a small child asking for a hug. He leaned in and lightly rested his hand on hers.

"Of course, I do. I love you so much it hurts," said River as he stood up to kiss her forehead. "Now get some rest, dear, I have to keep an eye on Star." Moon smiled before succumbing to the rest of her medicine. River left the room and joined Marco for breakfast.

"How's Queen Moon?" Marco had a cold bowl of porridge in front of him.

"She's on a lot of medicine. She had me wave to an imaginary bunny on my head. Marco, why are you eating porridge?" River looked around for his breakfast meats but saw that none were set out. "Excuse me, where's my breakfast at?"

"Star told them to give us cold porridge until we apologize to her." Marco painfully swallowed a small spoonful before choking on it.

"Well I'll be dipped, she's worse than her mother!"

"I heard that!" Star sat down next to her father as a servant poured her a bowl of cereal.

"Hey, how come you get to eat cereal?" Marco slammed his hands down on the table, rattling the silverware. River tried to grab the box but Star slapped his hand away.

"Because you still haven't apologized to me and because these are my Captain Blanche's Sugar Seeds." Star began to eat as the two watched in disbelief. "Did you get to talk to Mom?"

"Yes, but she's too far gone from her medicine. She made me wave to an imaginary bunny on my head. His name was Mr. Nibbles." River tried to grab the box of cereal again but was refused.

"This is your punishment until you sincerely apologize. You know, I could get used to being queen. I get to tell people what to do and they have to do it." Star finished eating her cereal and stood to leave.

"Now Star, don't let the power go to your head. If your mother were here she'd tell you to be careful and all that other important stuff. And I'm here to tell you to give me some meat, you know that corn is the only other type of food I eat. I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry!" River pouted until Star finally gave in.

"Fine, but next time you can't talk about me behind my back. Okay?"

"Okay, we should have told you that Marco gave away your secret." River and Star laughed as Marco grunted in frustration.

"Hey, I did what was right!"

"Hugs! Manfred, my father can have whatever he wants." Star hugged her father and stepped away.

"Yes, Your Majesty. And what about the boy?" Manfred motioned over at Marco.

"Not him. He's still grounded until he apologizes." Star then departed to be fitted for a new dress. Marco stared in anger at Star as she walked away, and, for a moment Star looked back at him. There was a playful smile on her face, and in her eyes, that told Marco she wasn't really mad at him. Unfortunately, River noticed Star's look too and resumed his protective nature.

"Marco, that's my daughter you're giving the googly eyes to." River stared menacingly at the young boy who was beginning to blush.

"I wasn't…Star doesn't…I'm gonna go…think of a way to apologize to Star." Marco left the dining hall and made his way back to his room. River shook his head and sighed before leaving for the infirmary.


	7. Chapter 7: Phase Two

**Phase Two**

Eclipsa watched as the blue-haired queen babbled like a newborn baby. She couldn't help but chuckle at how disposed and unaware the queen was. The All-Seeing Eye portal closed and Eclipsa headed for her new target. Before her was the Bureaucracy of Magic, also unaware of the vengeful queen's intentions. Ascending to the highest point where the Magic High Commission had gathered, Eclipsa entered silently.

"Well, it seems you were about to meet with the new queen, weren't you? I'm afraid you're going to have to cancel your appointment."

The three members swung around to face their unannounced guest. They readied their weapons and crouched into fighting stances. Omnitraxus Prime appeared in person to aid in the fight against the renegade queen.

"Do you really think you can defeat me? Oh my, seems we're missing one, aren't we?" Eclipsa chuckled as Rhombulus' face fell.

"What do you want, Queen Eclipsa?" Heckapoo stepped forward, not backing down from the dark woman.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here for a bit of revenge, and conquering of course." A flash of purple caged the Commission in a ball.

"What the-? What do want with us?" Omnitraxus struggled against the magical walls. Eclipsa smiled as she faced the small group of protectors.

"I'm simply leveling the playing field. It's not a fair fight if Star has others to help her. After all, there can only be one of us and I'm not about to give up just yet." A void opened as the old queen pushed the helpless Commission inside. "Regardless of who wins in the end, no one will ever find you. Now you'll know what it was like to be me, alive but forgotten for all those centuries."

The Commission cried out in alarm as they descended into the never-ending darkness. The only sources of light were Heckapoo's flame and the small galaxy within Omnitraxus. The group tried to pop the bubble but to no avail.

"Uh, guys, how are we going to tell Star she's in danger?" Rhombulus stared down at his snake hands, hoping from some encouraging words. The two snakes looked at each other and smiled positively, they didn't have any ideas as well.

"I don't know, but Queen Moon did say Star was close to Eclipsa's level, so…maybe she doesn't need us?" Omnitraxus addressed the others. "I mean, yeah, we're trapped but at least the princess has a chance." The others nodded in agreement.

"I'll keep trying my scissors and Omni can try to form a rift of some sort. We can't give up!" Heckapoo slashed at the bubble and tried to make a portal normally.

"Oh, I hope Star's okay," said Rhombulus as he formed crystals around his hands and began to pummel the ball.

Back on Mewni, Star sat in her mother's study and waited for the Commission to show up. They were an hour late and Star was bored out of her mind. Curious, she began to sift through the desk drawers. There was nothing but forms for events and lists until she reached the bottom right drawer. This drawer was locked and firmly shut.

Star searched throughout the entire room for the key but couldn't find it. _I wonder if Mom's still loopy with medicine? She might tell me where the key is without remembering or at least realizing._ Star left the study and entered the infirmary. A different nurse had just given the healing queen another dose of painkillers.

"Hey, Mommy, how are you feeling?" Star sat next to the bed and smiled at her mother.

"I feel much better now. Especially since I'm not imagining things, but I do still feel pretty out of it." Moon turned her head to face her daughter. "Did you need something, sweetie?"

"Well, the Commission hasn't shown up yet, is that normal?"

"No," Moon said with a frown, "they're usually early if not on time. Have you called them?"

"Yes, but no one's seen them and they didn't leave a message for me saying where they went. Should I be worried?" Star bit her bottom lip.

"I'm sure they're fine, probably just fighting with Rhombulus or something. Ugh, I'm tired of this medicine already."

"Why? I wish I could lay in bed all day. It doesn't seem all that bad." Star swung her feet as she waited for the medicine to take hold of her mother.

"Star, the last time I had to take medicine this strong, you were born. You obviously have never broken your femur or given birth before." The bedridden queen began to lightly cough to clear her throat.

"Pfft, it shouldn't hurt _that_ bad when you give birth to a child. Besides, I would've healed myself instead of laying in bed, writhing in agony like a baby," Star said as she stroked her hair. Moon frowned at Star.

"The pain that comes with childbirth isn't something I'd wish upon my worst enemy, Star. If someone had explained how painful it is to deliver a child, you would've never been born. And even if I used magic to heal me, the pain would still be there and it might not heal correctly. Besides, I needed a vacation from everything."

"Yeah, yeah I know. I tried to heal Marco's hand once. It ended up turning into an evil tentacle monster that wanted to eat the bowls of others." Star rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Star, you're not supposed to be using magic on others. Especially Marco, he's too fragile. What would you do if you had hurt him or worse, killed him?" The amount of concern in Moon's voice startled Star. The thought of life without Marco greatly scared her. While Star was fighting back dark thoughts, Moon felt the room shift as the medicine began to take effect again.

"I'd…I'd never smile ever again. I'd give up magic for good if I ever hurt Marco. I don't want him to get in the middle of all this, but I don't want to spend a day without him," Star said as she began to fight back tears. Moon didn't think Star would be so wounded by the thought of Marco hurt or gone, but she clearly was.

"Star…I'm sorry, but now you understand why you have to be careful with your magic. You don't want to hurt your loved ones." Moon sighed when she saw Mr. Nibbles. _I'm not ready to forget my name again. Ugh, just when I'm finally getting to talk to Star about Marco, stupid medicine._

"I know, that's why I haven't been using it as much. Well, that and because I thought you would yell at me." Star laughed and took a deep breath. She saw her mother's face relax and a spaced-out grin cross her face. _What was I here for again? Oh yeah, the key!_

"Was there…anything else, Star? Oh, do wave to Mr. Nibbles." Moon closed her eyes and relaxed even more.

"Hi, Mr. Nibbles. Hey, Mom, where's the key to your locked desk drawer?" Star leaned in as if she were telling a secret.

"Oh, that. You have to use magic to unlock it. There is no…no…carrot." Moon smiled foolishly and turned back to Star. "Will you call in your…um, father? Yes, that's it, your father, will you get him for me?"

"Sure, see you later Mom." Star motioned to her father that he was needed and left for the study. _Yes, now to find out what secret stash Mom has! I wonder if it's something dangerous._


	8. Chapter 8: Mysteries and Marco

**Mysteries and Marco**

Star raced into the empty study and slammed the door shut. She quickly returned to her mother's chair and pulled out her wand. _Hmm, I wonder if I have to use a certain spell or just unlock it like my closet door?_ Star decided to first try unlocking the drawer like she did her closet door. To her surprise, she heard a soft click before the drawer slid open. Inside was a tiny book void of any markings on the outside.

"Whoa, is this her diary?" Star removed the book from its tiny home and placed it on top of the desk. Curiously, Star lifted the cover and saw a note addressed to her written on the first.

Happy 18th Birthday, Star.

"I don't think I'm supposed to read this," Star said as she closed the cover. "But…it will still be a surprise if Mom adds more stuff. Oh, what the heck!" Star placed the book back on the desk and turned the page.

Dear Child,

Currently, you are still within the warm confines of my womb. Therefore, I have yet to learn your gender, but I still love you very much. Your father, as well as the rest of the kingdom, are unaware that you exist. I take immense satisfaction from the thought that I alone know of your presence. I can't wait to tell your father so that he may also celebrate your existence. I wait with baited breath for you to join us. Lovingly,

Queen Moon, your mother.

"Aw, how sweet! Mom must've written one almost every day for me. I don't feel like spoiling all of my present, I'll just skip to the end." Star flipped numerous pages until she found the most recent one.

Dear Star,

You seem so mature and independent at times that I wonder what happened to the little girl they would sneak off with a certain Pony Head. I can't help but think that you no longer need me or your father. I'm proud to call you my daughter and the future Queen of Mewni. Star, there will be more hard times ahead and I know you'll overcome them with ease. I just hope that Eclipsa doesn't put an end to our time together and that I get to see you become Queen Star Butterfly. I often wonder what you'll be called: Star the Unshakeable or Star the Righteous. Regardless, I just want to reiterate that I'm very proud of you and love you very much. Adoringly,

Your mother.

"Thanks, Mom. I'm sure when I read this in the future, you'll be there to see it."

"Star?" Marco entered the room without knocking, causing Star to toss the book back in the drawer and slam it shut.

"Marco! You can't just do that to me. Knock next time," Star said as she relocked the drawer. "What are you doing outside your room, you're grounded?"

"I…I came to apologize. I'm sorry I told your parents. I meant it when I told you it was for your own good. I just didn't think of the consequences for them. I was just…thinking of you." Marco stuck his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor. Star blinked in surprise before tackling him to the ground.

"Marco, I don't need a hero, remember? But…thank you anyway." The two smiled at each other before Star started to blush. "Uh, sorry, I'll get off you now." The two stood up and Star repositioned her crown.

"So, uh, what were you looking at?" Marco helped Star until they both were satisfied with the crown's position.

"Oh, it's a secret that I wasn't supposed to know about. Did my Dad stay with my mother?"

"Yeah. You wanna ride a warnicorn or something?"

"Sorry, I have to wait for the Magic High Commission to show up. Then I have to write a letter to each of the kingdoms on Mewni about my mother's condition. You know, boring stuff." Star sighed and sat back down at her mother's desk. _So, this is what it's like to be queen? Never-ending suffering in the form of paper work, meetings, and speeches._

"Well, now you can't say that you're a terrible queen."

"How so?" Star laid her head on the cold wood of the desk.

"For starters, you didn't ditch the Magic High Commission. Secondly, you're doing everything you can to make this transition as smooth as possible. If I were you, I would've just told Manfred to do it for me."

"Yeah, don't put ideas in my head. Now all I'm missing is a king," Star thought aloud. She quickly realized that she'd voiced her thoughts and tried to correct herself. "You know, to be like my parents…because they're married."

"I don't understand what you're implying, Star. Do you…want to get married?" Marco looked confused as Star dropped her mouth in shock. _What the heck, Marco? You know I have a crush on you and you only got marriage from all that. How blind can you be you adorable, clueless boy?_

"No, just forget I said anything." Star sighed and returned to her previous resting position.

"Okay? Is being queen really all that boring to you?" Marco began to organize the desk as Star began to groan.

"I hate it so much, Marco. No wonder my mother was too tired to do anything with me and my father, it sucks the life out of you. Marco, promise me you won't let me become an emotionless queen."

"You mean, stop you from becoming your mother?"

"No, Marco, from becoming emotionless. My mother didn't have a choice, she became queen after my grandmother was killed at a peace treaty signing. She used to be just like me!" Star pulled Marco in close and stressed how forced her mother's situation had been. "She didn't even get to mourn, Marco, because Toffee was there. Why do you think she hates monsters so much?"

"I'm sorry, you didn't tell me that after the battle. You just said that you bonded with her and that you pretty much died." Marco began to outline the stacks of papers and pens. "There, now it's all nice and neat. That was really starting to bother me."

"Marco, how am I supposed to explain this to my mother? She going to think I like being queen and a clean-freak like you." Star began to fight with Marco as she attempted to make a mess of things. A knock sounded before Manfred entered the study.

"Your Majesty, you're needed in the Throne Room. King and Queen Lucitor are here to discuss your mother's arrangements for the Silver Bell Ball."

"Okay, Manfred, tell them I'll be there in a second."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Sir Marco, King River would like a word with you in the infirmary."

"Okay. Well Star, I guess I'll see you later."

"Alright, Marco. See you at dinner." Star watched as Marco followed Manfred out of the study. "Ugh, I don't wanna talk to more people. Let's just get this over with." Sighing, Star exited the study and headed for the Throne Room.

* * *

Authors Note: I mentioned the little book in the drabble _Don't Panic_. I feel like that's something Queen Moon would do given her back story. To be honest, I wasn't expecting the sequel to be this long, but it is what it is. Hope you enjoyed and don't be afraid to review. I've killed all other feelings than the ones for Moon X River.


	9. Chapter 9: Killing Time

Killing Time

Six weeks had passed since the Magic High Commission went missing. There was no sign of Eclipsa anywhere on Mewni and Star was finally settling into her role as Mewni's temporary queen. Slowly, but surely, Queen Moon was on the path to recovery. She was doing daily exercises and walking around a little bit more each day. King River and Marco were leading searches for Eclipsa in hopes of stopping another attack on Queen Moon or Star.

It was early morning and everyone but Star and Queen Moon were busy. Bored, Star decided to visit her mother to pass the time. She entered the infirmary to find her mother stretching before she started her exercises.

"Good morning, Star! You look lovely. How are you doing today?" Moon smiled as she stretched right arm behind her head. She had lost some weight after being confined to her bed for three weeks until she was strong enough to move around. As a result, she wore a loose robe and her hair was down.

"I'm good, I just got bored and decided to come mess with ya. How's your lil body doing?" Star sat down and fidgeted with her gloves. She hated wearing them, but her mother insisted so she put up with them.

"It's much better. It still hurts, but I can move around more. My arm and ribs feel much better, my leg still aches though. Still no word from the Commission?"

"No. Dad and Marco haven't found Eclipsa either. I just hope she'll stay away for forever so we can finally have some peace and quiet." Star sighed and straightened up.

"Who knows, sweetie, maybe she only wanted to hurt me and now she feels better. How is Mewni taking the announcements about uniting with monsters?"

"Oh, at first they were mad, but then I hugged Buff Frog and he called me his little sweet potato in front of the whole kingdom. Then the crowd went wild and started cheering him on. So…I guess you could say really well. I forgot to tell you, tomorrow there's gonna be a big ol' banquet for both Mewnmans and monsters." Moon walked behind Star and began to brush her hair. Star felt like a child again, relishing the sweet blissful moments of her childhood. She closed her eyes and leaned back.

"In other words, they enjoy having you as their queen and they're willing to follow you no matter what. That's a great thing to hear after being cooped up in this room. Star, you know it's unqueenly to leave your hair down, right?" Moon continued to brush the long blonde tendrils, wishing Star was still a little girl.

"Pfft, this is my hair. I'm not pulling it up until I feel like it. Besides, Marco likes it when my hairs down." Star felt her cheeks begin to burn. The two still weren't a couple, but that didn't mean the feelings had left. Moon and River were aware of Star's affection for the young Earth boy but didn't interfere for Star's sake.

"Yes, of course, Marco likes your hair down. He rarely saw it up, didn't he? How many days has he been out with your father looking for Eclipsa?" Moon stopped brushing Star's hair to remove the crown. She set the crown aside and resumed brushing the long blonde locks. "Star?"

"Two weeks now. The last time I spoke to him, he said that they were on a trail that might lead them to her. He didn't say very much to me after that," Star whispered the last sentence and lowered her head. "I ruined his one chance at true love." Star's heart yearned to be with Marco again, but she knew he would never choose Mewni over Earth. Tears fell onto her lap, alerting Moon to her distress.

"Star, don't say that. If he had truly loved that girl, he would've never stayed here this long. He would've run back to her and told you. Give it some time, I was the blind one in my relationship, after all." Moon tilted Star's face back so she could look at her. "Everything will be alright. He's a very loyal friend, and, should the two of you be fated to spend the rest of your lives as a couple, an excellent king. But first, you have to wait." Moon wiped away her daughter's tears and kissed her forehead.

"I know you're right, but I miss him. Why is this such a torturous feeling, love? I just miss him and Papa so much, I feel like my heart's breaking!"

"I know, Star. That's how I felt when I heard that the castle was taken, but everything turned out fine, sort of."

"What do you think happened to the Magic High Commission?"

"I think it might have something to do with Eclipsa, but I'm not too sure. Why?"

"What if the same thing happened to Dad and Marco? What if they were killed and Eclipsa did it?" Fear and adrenaline began to course through the young queen's body. She jumped up and looked at her mother, the same fear plastered on her face as well.

"I…I don't know." Moon stood stiffly, considering their options.

"Don't worry, I got this," said Star as she pulled out her wand. Moon flinched, remembering what happened the last time she was near Star and the wand. Star said the All-Seeing Eye spell and the small portal opened. Moon ducked when Star aimed it in her direction. "Mom, calm down, it won't hurt you. It's a spying spell."

"Where did you learn a spying spell?" Moon stood back up and looked at the young queen who was spinning around the room.

"Uh…funny story, you're gonna laugh, trust me. I kinda…got it from Eclipsa's chapter." Star flinched as she saw her mother's face drop.

"Why did Glossaryck let you learn that? What was he doing?" Moon sighed and sat down in Star's chair.

"He was kinda sleeping so I looked for it and found it. He didn't have to teach it to me. I…kinda used it to spy on Marco and Jackie." Star began to blush in embarrassment. Moon facepalmed and shook her head in disbelief.

"Anything yet?" As Star was about to answer her, she saw the Magic High Commission appear in the portal window.

"You guys! Where are you?" Star placed her hand against the spell's portal.

"Star, that's not going to work." Moon hobbled closer to her daughter. Rhombulus and the others yelled for her to stop.

"Yes, it will. I've done this before, trust me." Star began to dip down and the screen slowly started to give way. Her long blonde locks began to float and glow as she reached further into the Commission's prison. Everyone gasped in shock and disbelief as Star grabbed Hekapoo's arm.

Grunting, Star pulled the gray Commission member through the portal and into the infirmary. Star reached forward to try and grab another member from the other side. A tight pain in Star's arm began, but she fought it back and continued to push forward.

"Star, stop!" Moon saw that Star was beginning to look tired and worried for her safety.

"I've…. got…this," Star grunted as she reached for Rhombulus. He reached for her hand, not wanting to make her struggle more. Before they could grab hold of each other, Star was thrown back by a powerful force. She struggled to stay conscious, but she was drained from removing Hekapoo. She could tell that her mother was talking to her, but she decided she'd take a quick nap.

Author's Note/Update: Sorry I didn't post this one sooner, I just moved into my dorm. I might upload a chapter every two days to give me enough time to write and edit them before posting. Hope you enjoyed!


	10. Chapter 10: Consequences

**Consequences**

Queen Moon and Hekapoo watched over the sleeping Star, wondering if she would be alright. Shock and fear still coursed through their veins as Hekapoo explained what happened with Eclipsa. In return, Queen Moon told the Commission member about the missing whereabouts of River and Marco.

"Hekapoo, I have something I'll need you to tell Star one day. And until that day, you can't mention or hint to it in front of her and the others." Moon clenched her right hand and looked at her exhausted daughter.

"What's that supposed to be?" Hekapoo folded her arms and glared at the worn-out queen. Even to this day, the two didn't seem to get along very well with each other.

"The spell I used…it's…killing me," informed Moon solemnly. "Slowly." Hekapoo opened her mouth in shock, immediately regretting her rude comment from before.

"Moon, I-I'm sorry. I…How?"

"The spell…tainted me. It's been slowly sucking away my life force. It wouldn't have been a problem if I hadn't tried to use the spell a second time. Now, I don't know how long I'll last." Moon reached out and grabbed Star's small hand. History was indeed, repeating itself.

"Does River know?"

"No, and I don't want him to either. He'll only spend the rest of the time worrying over me. I just want him to continue being his happy self, it'll help me cope." Star's gripped tightened, causing Moon to think that she might be awake. She relaxed when Star rolled over and murmured something about a test she was late for.

"Alright. When the time comes, I'll tell them what happened. Thanks for confiding in me," Hekapoo said with a genuine smile. Star suddenly sat up, gasping violently for air.

"Star!" The temporary queen turned to face the two worried women.

"Did I die again? I didn't see Glossaryck so I wasn't sure." She looked around until she found her wand and set it on her lap.

"No, you didn't die. However, you didn't have to act like you did," Hekapoo joked with the teen. Star smiled and picked up her wand.

"I'm gonna get Rhombulus now."

"No, you _need_ to rest!" Moon lunged forward to grab the wand but failed miserably.

"Aw, what? Nah, I'll be fine. Trust me, Mom, I can handle it." The determined teen recited the All-Seeing Eye spell and attempted to pierce the magic veil.

"Seriously, Star, stop! Your mother's right, you need to rest or you might hurt yourself." Star scoffed at Hekapoo's feeble attempt to deter her. Her hand began to surface on the other side when pain shot through her arm. She winced at the stinging pain and pushed onwards. She grabbed Rhobulus' snake hand and started to pull him through. Grunting in agony, she finally managed to reunite the two members.

"Hey, Omni, I kinda have to leave you for a bit. My arm's hurting again and I feel…sleepy." Star wobbled uncontrollably as she struggled to stand.

"Just don't push yourself too hard, you're still a teen. Remember that!" Omnitraxus Prime waved farewell as the portal dissipated into oblivion. Star slid to the ground and let out a big sigh of relief.

"Star, are you alright? Oh, you should've saved Omnitraxus instead. He's far more important than me." Rhombulus helped the small girl up off the floor and into a chair. Moon hobbled over and felt Star's forehead. The young teen had broken out into a cold sweat and was breathing erratically. She finally fell asleep, tossing and turning as Hekapoo fetched a nurse.

Elsewhere in a collapsed cave, the small search party had finally given up all hope of seeing the light of day again. Marco sat huddled with the king and a few other knights. The young boy had devised a new plan that required them to head deeper into the cave.

"I swear, there has to be another way out. If there isn't, we'll make one."

"And how do we do that exactly, we aren't monsters? We're weak from hunger." River looked up at the thinning boy. For sure, Star would be upset if she saw him in this poor state.

"I know we'll find a way out of here, we have to. You want to go back to Queen Moon, don't you?" River nodded. "Then, we need find a way, any way!" Marco stood and kicked over one of the sacks a guard had been carrying. "Ouch! Hey, who's bag is this?"

Marco opened the heavy bag and rummaged through the dense layers of clothing. He felt something poke his hand, something cold and hard. Hope sparked in Marco's heart as he desperately clawed at the pair of trousers at the bottom.

"Please, please, please!" He pulled out the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "Woohoo! Boys, we're going home," Marco said triumphantly as he held up a pair of dimensional scissors.

"Marco," the enraged king shouted over the cheers of the guards, "how long have you had those?" River ran up to the young boy and pulled at his hoodie.

"What, these aren't-?" Marco held the scissors closer to his face and gasped. "What the? How did those get there, I left them in my room in my…pair of pants?" Marco facepalmed at his own idiocy and quickly made a portal into Butterfly Castle.

"Seriously, Marco? We almost died in there!" River tugged harder on the young boy's collar.

"Let's agree to never speak of this again. Ever. Again!" Marco stormed through the portal and ran into the line of famished guards. "Hey, what gives?"

"What's up, Marco?" The question was followed by an abrupt slap to the back of his head, burning and smoldering his hair.

"What, Hekapoo? Where have you been?" Marco rubbed the sore spot on his head and backed away.

"No time for that, Star's in the infirmary." Hekapoo grabbed River and Marco's hands, leading them to the two healing Butterfly's.

"What happened? Is Star going to be alright?" River ran ahead, not waiting for the answer. "Moon? Oh, Moon-pie, how I've missed you!" Marco entered to see the two embracing, behind them was Star.

"How's Star doing?" He walked forward, looking down at the feverish young queen. She seemed to be in great pain as she sucked in air through great, uneven breaths.

"She overworked herself when she pulled Hekapoo and Rhombulus out of a void. She's been like this for a whole day now." Moon stepped back so River could be closer to his daughter.

"But is she going to be alright?" River looked at his wife, fighting back tears. A pained look crossed her face as she looked away from him.

"We're not sure. The doctor said she might be up tomorrow or…sometime later in the week. Right now, she's in pretty bad shape. What happened to the two of you, we were so worried, River?" Moon's voice quivered as she turned back to her husband. Her face betrayed her worry and uneasiness from the two weeks they'd been separated.

"We were trap-," River stopped as he saw Marco shaking his head, "tracking Eclipsa, but we lost her trail. Yes, that's what happened." He hugged the queen lightly as she quietly sobbed in his shoulder.

"This is all my fault! I should've never let her use that spell. Everything connected to Eclipsa gets corrupted." Moon grew quite as Star finally began to settle into a deeper sleep. River managed to coax his wife into the nearest bed, staying with her until she fell asleep as well.


	11. Chapter 11: Watching and Waiting

**Author's Note: So…it's been a while since I last updated this story and a lot has happened in S3. I don't know about all of you, but the season finale gave me chills. Rereading this sequel, there are a lot of things that don't fit in with the show but somehow, I'll try to keep it as canon as possible. Eclipsa is still an anomaly to me and I hate Glossaryk more than ever but I'll work recent major events into upcoming chapters. Sorry if the story starts to feel rushed, I just don't like how AU it's become.**

Watching and Waiting

 **Later that week**

Moon paced impatiently beside Star's infirmary bed. She'd been asleep for four days now and she still hadn't woken up. To make matters worse, there still wasn't any sign of the dark queen. In the meantime, Marco and River left to Moon's study to think of strategies to avoid any oncoming attacks from magical forces. Nonmagical threats were easy to deal with, but with the two magic wielding royals on bed rest, they were sitting ducks against magical threats. Two days prior, word had reached the castle that the headmistress of St. Olga's had been attacking young girls and was now on the run from the two available Commission members. Moon shook her head, trying to ignore the growing tension and finally decided to sit down.

A soft knock sounded from the door several minutes later, alerting Moon to the arrival of River. He liked to check up on the two frequently, wanting to be there when his darling little acting queen opened her eyes. Too tired to stand up and greet him, Moon waited for him to walk up to her so she could lean against his right arm. They both released a sigh as they looked over at their sleeping daughter. River sweetly kissed the closest baby-blue gloved hand he could reach and walked over to grab an extra chair to sit in.

"Has the doctor said anything?" River looked over at his worry-stricken wife and listened for a response.

"No. He didn't see her today, but a nurse said she heard Star sleep talking. As if that's any consolation to me." Moon frowned, she hated the fact that she couldn't control the health of her loved ones. Once again, River took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm sure she'll wake up soon. We both know how strong she is and I'm sure, right now, she's dreaming of bossing Marco around. It's become a favorite pastime of hers now." He silently chuckled at his statement, but it did nothing to cheer Moon up. She merely rested her head against his and sighed deeply once more. "Cheer up, Moon. I promise you, she'll be awake by tomorrow."

"It's not just that, River. I'm worried about the state of the kingdom as well. Who would've guessed that headmistress could be so…evil?"

"Star. She did say that it was more of a prison than a school. Then again, aren't all schools like that?" River released a small, hearty laugh.

"River, I'm serious. What if she tries to attack Star? Marco said that she wasn't named Ms. Heinous by accident _and_ she has a grudge against the two. They're not safe and I'm in no condition to hold her off." The second laugh that had been building up in River's chest swiftly died at the mention of danger.

"I'm very sorry, my dear. I wasn't taking our current situation into consideration." River looked down at his feet in defeat.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so hard on you. You and Marco have been working hard to keep us safe. I'm just worried about Star." She turned to look at her hunched over husband and patted his back. "What's Marco up to?"

"He went to bed about an hour ago. Poor boy! He's been working hard to track down Ms. Heinous. I don't think anyone sees Eclipsa as a threat anymore, not with that monstrous woman on the loose."

The two were so lost in their conversation that they failed to notice Star open her eyes. She blinked a few times before she recalled where she was and turned to look at the couple. She silently watched her parents try to comfort each other and smiled. _Look at my little goof balls, so cute!_ The words "Ms. Heinous" and "danger" reached Star's ears and she immediately felt more alert.

"WHAT!?" Star shot up out of bed, startling her parents in the process. The two almost fell out of their chairs as they stared in disbelief at their loud and very much awake daughter.

"Star! How long have you been awake? We've been worried sick about you," Moon stated angrily as she tried to steady her pulse. River, on the other hand, chose to crush his daughter in a hug and rejoice her swift recovery.

"Gosh Mom…I only…just woke up," Star barely managed as she fought her father off. "Dad, I love you very much, but this is serious! What's Ms. Heinous doing?"

"She's been sucking souls out of young princesses and she's gone on the run from Heckapoo and Rhombulus. Your father and Marco have been keeping up with the latest news to try and find a way to stop her." Moon tugged her husband off of Star and gave him a stern look.

"What about Eclipsa?"

"Nothing yet. She's the least of our worries if Ms. Heinous is coming after you and Marco." Moon sat on the edge and began to fix her daughter's messy hair. "I'm so glad you're awake."

"Mom! Now is not the time for bonding, I have to stop her and find Eclipsa." Star pushed her mother's hands away and started to crawl out of bed before another thought struck her. "Wait, what about Omnitraxus? Did anyone get him out of that magic prison?"

"No, and before you think about it, you're going to wait until you're completely healed before you try to pull him out. We need someone to fight Ms. Heinous should she come to attack the castle. Unfortunately, that leaves only you, Heckapoo, and Rhombulus." Moon tried to lay Star back down, but the latter was stronger than the former had anticipated.

"Mom, we might need Omni and what if he's been moved from his prison. What if she _killed_ him? _Oh_ , why couldn't I save them all out before passing out," Star said angrily, pulling at the sides of her hair. She fought back hot, angry tears.

"Star, there wasn't much you could do." River tried to reassure his upset daughter, but this only brought unwanted attention from the angry royal.

"And _where_ were you!? You left me and Mom worried sick, we thought Eclipsa got you and that we'd never see you again." Star pointed accusingly at her father and noted that it was still late at night.

"Well…," started River. He began to shift anxiously and opened his mouth to continue.

"Save it. It's late and the two of you need to rest. Meanwhile, I'm starving so I'm going to make me a bowl of cereal. I'll see all of you in the morning and we can talk about all of this then." Star turned to get off the bed and walked passed her parents. They watched her leave with shocked faces, mouths wide open.

"Did she just send us to bed?" The blue-haired queen was having trouble accepting the fact that Star just walked out on them while they were trying to talk to her. Not only that, but she did it in such a regal manner that, if Moon hadn't known that Star had only been acting queen for two months, she would have thought that Star had been queen for at least a year. She turned to River who merely shrugged in defeat and stood up from where he was sitting.

"Face it, my dear, Star's become an independent young woman. Now you know how I felt when she confined me to my own room." A smile conquered his face as he straightened his back. "I'm so proud of her!" The two shared a proud smile before leaving the infirmary and heading to their room.

Simultaneously, Star had finally reached the kitchen and pulled out the necessary ingredients for a bowl of Captain Blanche's Sugar Seeds. She felt a little guilty for leaving her parents, but they weren't focusing on what was important. _All_ of Mewni was in danger, not just her and Marco. She angrily munched on the moist cereal and thought back to Eclipsa and Ms. Heinous. Something felt off. Why did Eclipsa disappear when she could have taken over Mewni by now? How did people find out about Ms. Heinous' heinous acts? Even Star had been oblivious to the headmistress' diabolical acts.

"Ugh!" Star sank lower in her chair and held her head in her hands. She just couldn't make sense of everything that had happened since Eclipsa's return.

"Psst, Star." From a dark corner of the kitchen, the forgotten queen stepped out to greet Star. She was wearing a pink robe and bunny slippers with her hair in a head wrap.

"Eclipsa!" Star couldn't hide the surprise in her voice as she jumped up. "Wha-what are you doing here? It's like you don't even care if you get caught." The green-haired queen chuckled as she approached a confused Star.

"I wanted to explain something to you."

"What could that be, because I have a lot of questions," the young acting queen whispered angrily.

"You should sit down, it's a long story. I recently discovered some things that I think you should know too. I'm sorry, Star, but you're going to hate what I have to tell you. Well…you'll hate some of it." Eclipsa poured herself a bowl of cereal and waited for Star to allow her to continue. An awkward silence fell over the two before Star let out a long sigh.

"Alright, I'm listening."

 **Author's Note: I'm planning on trying to update this one regularly just so I can end it to start another project for Steven Universe. I know not everyone thinks Eclipsa is evil and I'm trying to move in that direction. Unfortunately, I'm not as a great a writer compared to SVTFOE's. Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12: The Truth Hurts

**Author's Note: Hey everyone, I don't have any real announcements other than thank you. Thank you to everyone who's still reading this story and anyone who comments. I really appreciate it and I should thank all of you more often. Without further ado, here's the latest chapter. Enjoy!**

 **GEGEGEGEGEG**

 **The Truth Hurts**

Star didn't think her mouth could open any wider or her brows stretch any higher. _We're not true Butterfly descendants!_ Eclipsa solemnly stirred her bowl of cereal as her companion stood, dazed from the bombshell the queen had dropped on her.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but all of it's true. I've been sneaking around the castle and found the family history book your mother has in the library. When I saw that my successor wasn't my daughter, I paid a visit to the Commission. I learned that they had traded my daughter with a lowlife peasant and gave her the throne. I was so angry, I locked them away like they did to me and my beloved. You understand, don't you?"

"This changes _everything_! What am I supposed to tell my mother? She'll never believe me or you." The acting queen paced back in forth, that headache of hers threatening to return any second now. "What do I tell Marco and Ponyhead?"

"I don't think you should tell them. At least, you shouldn't tell them right now. Currently, I'm on the run for attacking the Commission and your mother. I'll be found guilty of those charges for sure." The older queen stood and tugged the teens hand, pulling Star with her up the stairs and into a secret tunnel hidden behind a tapestry. "Before I forget, I _am_ sorry for attacking your mother. Once I learned that her image of me had been tainted by the Commission's lies, I regretted it."

"Thanks? Look, I would like to know where you're taking me," Star demanded as she followed the secretive woman. Her question was answered when they emerged in her room. "What the…?"

"I know everything's changed for you, but you've done great so far for Mewni. I thinks it's best if you kept this knowledge a secret until I can prove to your mother and Mewni that I had every reason to attack the Commission. The truth would split Mewni and cause a war no one needs to fight."

"I don't know," Star said as she neared her bed then suddenly turned around. "Wait…what happened to your daughter?"

"I don't know," she responded sadly. "They wouldn't tell me where she went after they switched her. She's probably dead by now anyways." Star looked at the tired woman in pity. _That poor girl!_

"Fine, I'll help you. But you have to lie low while I try to straighten everything out. Somewhere out there, a crazy woman is coming after me and Marco. I don't have Glossaryck or the spell book and my mom's still recovering." Star sat on her bed and put her head in her hands.

"You know, I could be of some assistance with your training. As for Glossaryck, I have him." Star picked her head up in shock.

"What do you mean you have Glossaryck?"

"Well, who did you think helped me find the family history book? I couldn't just walk into the library and look around. He made me work out his riddle first, but then I knew exactly where it was and avoided the guards."

"So, he does that to you too? Why can't he just tell us things without it being hidden in a riddle for once?" Star rolled her eyes at the thought of the stubborn blue man. "I'm definitely not telling Marco about this meeting or about what you told me about my family. I promise, I'll help you find your daughter too."

"Thank you, Star," Eclipsa said as she embraced the teen. "You're the only sane Mewman I know other than Globgor."

"Who's Globgor?"

"My monster husband, I hope you can meet him one day," she informed with a blush, "he's such a big softie." Star nervously smiled, nodding to keep the woman happy.

"Where's he at?" She instantly regretted asking when she saw Eclipsa's face fall.

"I'm not sure. I was frozen before anyone else, and I didn't think to ask about him. He's more than capable of taking care of himself." She tucked a stray strand of hair back into her wrap before yawning. "It's late, and you need your sleep. I'll try to come when you're alone to see if you've found anything else out."

"Okay," Star said as she felt a yawn growing, "we can talk after dinner tomorrow." The dark-haired queen left soon after, and Star changed for bed. She hoped things would be better in the morning.

 **GEGEGEGEGEG**

Star was the first one downstairs and received a plethora of kind words for her sacrifice while saving some of the Magic High Commission. She was too tired to correct them or send them away, so she ate while her staff fawned over her like a new born baby. As one servant quickly dashed off to grab another pitcher of orange juice, her parents entered the hall.

"Good morning, Star. Did you sleep well?" When the servants heard their real employers, they vacated the room with promises to dote on their beloved princess another time.

"Yeah, Dad. What about you two, feeling better now that I'm awake?"

"Of course, sweetie! All we needed was for you to open your eyes and say you were alright," Moon said happily. "Have you seen Marco yet?"

"No, I'm sure I'll see him eventually. I need to meet with Rhombulus and Heckapoo and see what they know about Ms. Heinous." The servant refilled Star's cup and left the pitcher should she want more. "Anything else I should know before I call for them?"

"We haven't seen them since that vile woman went on the run," River said haughtily. He crossed his arms and sniffed in annoyance.

"Which 'vile woman' would that be?" Star asked, clearly not in the mood to deal with riddles or the pronoun game.

"Ms. Heinous, Star. They seemed to panic when Mina told them that Ms. Heinous had been sucking the souls out of young princesses. Then Heckapoo asked if she had gone to the Monster Temple, which Mina said yes but didn't find 'it', whatever 'it' is."

"And you didn't ask for a full update?" Star facepalmed and let out an angry sigh. _Why didn't they ask follow-up questions?_

"Star, I was more concerned about your health than some Monster Temple!" Moon huffed angrily at her stubborn daughter. "I can't exactly do anything about her or the Commission in my state."

"But you still could have asked for more details. You're the Queen of _Mewni_ , not some bystander."

"Star, that's no way to talk to your mother!" River was appalled by Star's sudden change in behavior. "She stayed by your side from the second you collapsed until you finally woke up. Apologize at _once_." Star growled in frustration and jumped up from her seat.

"I am not apologizing for anything. You might have just put us in more danger by passing on the chance to find out more from them before they left. I'm meeting with them _alone_." The rebellious teen brushed her dress clean of crumbs and walked passed her parents. "I'm not going to sit by and let people get hurt because of mine and Marco's mistakes." Without another word, she walked out of the dining hall to summon Heckapoo and Rhombulus.

"I think she's let the power get to her head," River said as he turned back to his wife.

"No, I think it's more than that. I think…I think she still feels guilty about Eclipsa attacking me and now she doesn't want history to repeat itself." Moon stared at her plate of food. "She's maturing, but I'm worried how this is really affecting her. We've fought before, but never like this."

"I'm sure that this is all too much to wake up to. She wasn't on Mewni for a year, and now that she's back and suddenly she has to rule like she's been doing it her whole life. She just needs to readapt and then she'll be back to her old self."

"I don't know, River. She rushes into things headfirst and I worry. I can't argue that I probably should have asked for more details, but I didn't know if she'd wake up again." Moon dejectedly ate her breakfast, River doing the same. The door opened quickly, and for a second, the couple thought Star had returned to apologize.

"Hey, Queen Moon, you're out of the infirmary," Marco said as he walked over to his seat. "What's wrong, the two of you look miserable?"

"Star's awake," Moon said wretchedly.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Marco looked confused. The two of them had been worrying that she would never wake up again. Now, she's awake and the two were acting like she had died or something. "Is she alright?"

"Star's upset because we spent more time fretting over her than running the kingdom. She found out about Ms. Heinous and was upset that we didn't collect details on her movements and actions," informed the distraught king. "She yelled at us and stormed out before you showed up."

"That doesn't sound like Star. She's always wanted the two of you to dote on her and now she doesn't. Do you want me to talk to her?"

"No, thank you, Marco. She'll cool down and come to us eventually. It's just a lot to deal with when you've been sleeping peacefully for four days," River told the young boy. Moon pushed her plate away, no longer hungry after she replayed Star's outburst for a third time.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to my study to think," Moon said as she stood to leave. "I've lost my appetite and I just want some time to myself." The worn queen slowly walked out with her head down. River frowned deeply and turned back to Marco.

"Star really laid into her mother. I'm worried about both of them. Moon seems tired more and more each day and Star's throwing all caution to the wind while she's filling in for her mother." River sighed as he slouched in his chair. He felt like his family was falling apart and there wasn't much he could do to stop it.

"That bad?" The king nodded. "When Star was on Earth, she hated the idea of becoming queen someday. She didn't want to become some emotionless monarch with a bland lifestyle. I think she still feels that way, but she's changed since Toffee's attack. She's dedicated herself to becoming a better princess and person, so this is probably her way of trying to show the two of you that she did listen to all your advice. She's probably worried about your safety and how she needs to handle this. I mean, she asked for details!"

"I think you've got a point Marco. She's thinking this through for once, which is something she hasn't really done before. I'll be sure to repeat this to Moon, she'll be happy to hear your analysis of things." River perked up and quickly finished his breakfast. "We're lucky to have you here," he declared with a smile.

 **GEGEGEGEGEGEGEGEG**

 **Author's Note: Sorry for the awkward cut off, but I didn't want it to get too long. Like I previously stated in the last chapter, I'm trying to move towards Eclipsa being a 'good' person but it's going to take some time. Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13: Fight Like A Queen

**Author's Note: Sorry, some personal things popped up and I couldn't update last week.**

 **GEGEGEGEG**

 **Fight Like A Queen**

Star mumbled angrily as she stomped down the long empty corridor. She was too upset and distracted to notice that she had walked past the door she needed and let out an exasperated groan. Backtracking, she saw Marco head towards her from the other end of the hall.

"Not now, Marco, I have important things to do," she said before he could speak. He shut his mouth and sped up in hopes of catching up to her. On any other day, she might have waited for him, but today was not that kind of day. Impatiently, she yanked the door open and stepped in, slamming the door shut before he could enter. Inside, the few remaining Commission members sat, shocked by her sudden appearance.

"Star?" Heckapoo shared a glance with Rhombulus, surprised that she was early. The winded teen chose to remain standing rather than sit. Behind her, Marco began to knock on the door to be let in.

"We have a lot to discuss and-," Star was cut off with Marco's incessant pounding. " **And very little time** ," she yelled over the loud hammering.

"Do you…do you want me to get that," Rhombulus asked, nervously glancing between the teen and the door.

"No. Marco's not invited, and he needs to understand that," she said through gritted teeth. She waited until all was silent before continuing. "I want all the information you have on Ms. Heinous and Eclipsa."

"You don't have to worry about that, we can handle it," Heckapoo said calmly. Star glared at the grey woman and the weird snake-crystal mutant.

"I'm not _asking_ you, I'm _telling_ you!"

"Star, we're grateful that you saved us, but this isn't any of your business," Heckapoo said with a slight hiss. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned on one hip with as much sass as she could muster.

"I am acting queen and technically a member of the Commission. You _will_ give me the information that I need to protect _my_ people! Their lives are at stake while the two of you keep me in the dark. I don't have time for any of your silly games."

"You may be filling in for your mother, but you're not even _half_ the queen she is. In fact, I don't think you'll _ever_ be as great as your mother." The teen felt as if the floor had disappeared from beneath her feet and she was falling. Quickly, she shook her head to remember where she was and clenched her fists. She would never admit how much the older woman's comments stung her.

"Hey, come on Heckapoo, this is Star we're talking about. She's pretty great. I mean, she did the impossible and saved us from that prison," Rhombulus tried to reason.

"Being able to use magic and ruling a kingdom are two separate things Rhombulus. Just because she's advanced at magic doesn't mean she'll be able to lead her kingdom like she's meant to. If she had had this mentality from the first day, we wouldn't be in this situation. Eclipsa might not have been freed, Ms. Heinous might have become a threat when the kingdom was stronger, and her mother wouldn't be dy-," the fiery woman stopped talking abruptly as she realized what she was saying. "What I mean is, the queen would be healthy enough to deal with these issues herself."

"Maybe you're right, that this is all _my_ fault. But right now, I'm trying to be the best leader I can be. That's why I need to know what's going on. I need to learn from my mistakes and fix any problems I've created before it becomes any worse." Star looked at the ground as she forced herself to continue speaking. "I know I'll never be as good as my mother, but that doesn't mean I can't try to make her proud of me. I'm aware that I'm reckless and immature. This is me trying to fix that before it's too late and I become remembered as the 'Screw-Up Queen' or the 'Queen Mewni Forgot'. So, please, please tell me what I need to know so I can help." The troubled teen fought to keep her emotions in check as she waited for the two Commission members to give her an answer. She tried her best to make them understand that she was useful, now it was their turn to either acknowledge or reject her attempt.

"That was really mature of you Star, but this isn't something you can handle. Trust me," Heckapoo finally said. With a brisk wave of her hand, her and Rhombulus began to exit the room. On his way out, the crystal mutant placed a light hand on her shoulder and then continued towards the door. Star kept her head down, too distraught to pretend that she wasn't affected by their meeting. She had hoped that they would see her as an adult and fill her in like they should, but instead, they turned her away. The door closed loudly, not exactly a slam, but enough to cause the blonde teen to jump at the sound. To her, it symbolized everyone's disappointment in her and she felt the need to sit down.

In the dark silence of the empty room, Star the Underestimated wept.

 **GEGEGEG**

 **(During Star's Meeting)**

Marco had given up on trying to get Star's attention and slid down the nearest wall. He wanted to be there for her when she approached the Commission, but she chose to shut him out instead. He heard footsteps echo down the hall and turned to see their owner. He was greeted by a silent wave from none other than Moon who still looked upset about earlier.

"Marco, what're you doing out here?" She stopped near the lounging boy and looked down at him in confusion. "I thought you were looking for Star."

"I found her, but she decided to meet with the Magic High Commission first. She's inside with them right now." As if on cue, Star began to shout at someone. Marco guessed that it was Rhombulus but was surprised to hear Heckapoo yell back at the teen.

 _"You may be filling in for your mother, but you're not even half the queen she is. In fact, I don't think you'll ever be as great as your mother."_

Simultaneously, the eavesdroppers gasped at what they heard. Marco jumped up to stop Moon from throwing the doors open and shook his head. Moon's face had a wide array of emotions, but the most prevalent one was pure unbridled rage.

"Wait, let's hear what Star has to say. You won't always be there to stand up to her. Maybe this is just some test they have for her," Marco whispered to the enraged mother. They heard Rhombulus try to stick up for Star only to be shot down by Heckapoo. Finally, Star spoke up, and the two listened in awe as the teen admitted her flaws and her desire to fix them. Then, there was silence. Moon and Marco thought that Star had convinced the two that she was ready to handle the situation, but then Heckapoo began to speak.

The two couldn't believe that Heckapoo didn't trust Star with their information and stepped back as the sound of people approaching got louder. They stood in silence as Heckapoo briskly walked out. A few seconds later, Rhombulus sheepishly followed. He looked just as upset as the two bystanders were. Moon waited for Star to leave as well so she could embrace her and tell her everything would be fine. She never left. The door closed, and the worried queen pressed a firm hand to the door but didn't enter. Hearts broke as they finally heard the distressed cries of a girl who had fought her hardest to be heard and lost.


	14. Chapter 14: Embrace the Moon

**Embrace the Truth**

"We can't go in," Marco said quietly as he placed a soothing hand on Moon's shoulder, "she wouldn't want us to know that we listened in on her meeting. She'll think we're underestimating her." The heartbroken queen turned to face the short boy with furrowed brows.

"How can you say that? Right now, she needs to know that me and River support her. You too, you have to help when something like this happens. She'll lose her confidence and become the very thing she fears," Moon said furiously. She turned away from the silent teen and opened the door. Star was sniffling in the dark as her mother silently entered the room.

"Go away," the royal ordered weakly. She had pulled her legs up to her chest and used her hair to hide her face. "I mean it, leave me alone."

"Star…," Moon said softly as she slowly embraced her daughter from the side, "I'm here. I've always been here for you." She placed a kiss on her daughter's head and hugged her tighter. The teen refused to release her hold on her legs and tried to make herself smaller.

"So, you heard," Star spat out bitterly, "you heard what a _disappoint_ I was. I can't even take care of my own people when they need me." Silent sobs forced her body to shake in her mother's warm embrace. Star dug her fingers into the sides of her legs, angry and upset about everything that had happened.

"Star, you're not a disappointment. You never have been, and you never will be. I'm sorry that all this is affecting you the way it has been. I never wanted you to feel like I did when I was younger, but you're here now and you'll be stronger for it."

Outside, Marco felt like he was intruding on a very rare, very private intimate moment and left the two alone. His footsteps faded as he became farther and farther away from the two female royals. Moon began to wince from the strain being placed on her wounds and stood up. She took her depressed daughter's hand and led her to her bedroom so they both could be comfortable.

"Come on Star, I know how much you love to lay in our bed," Moon coaxed. Pouting, the teen feebly crawled onto the large bed and crawled underneath the warm covers. She felt like a child again as she laid next to her mother on the large, plump pillows.

"I wanted to show you that I could be a responsible queen, but instead, I messed everything up. Now, the Commission won't even include me in their investigations. Heckapoo was right," Star whispered, tears filling her eyes once more. She gave in to her mother's accepting gaze and moved closer to her. She wrapped her arms around Moon's small frame and tried to relax.

"Don't listen to Heckapoo. She probably doesn't even have information to give and the next time I see her…well, we'll have words," Moon said threateningly. Star shifted so she wasn't laying on her mother's hair and sighed.

"But she is right, I'll never be as amazing as you are. Not even close," Star admitted, closing her eyes as she began to feel sleepy.

"My darling girl," Moon said as she brushed a few locks of hair out of Star's face, "you already are amazing and a far better queen than I was. You're tackling issues I never dreamt of touching." Star let out a long yawn. "Sleep for now, but when you wake up, you'll see that I'm right."

Star mumbled something incoherent as she finally drifted off to sleep. Moon waited for her breathing to slow before letting out a sad sigh. She knew she wouldn't always be there for Star, but while she could, she just wanted her daughter to be happy.

 **GEGEGEGEG**

Star woke up to an empty room and felt her stomach growl from a lack of food. She rubbed her eyes before sliding off the large bed and padded over to the door. She wasn't sure what time it was, but the sun was down, meaning it was already late. She heard voices coming from the dining hall as she slowly reached the entrance. She inhaled the smell of juicy meats and the sweetness of the night's desserts. Too hungry to care what they thought, she pushed open the door and silently walked over to her seat.

"Oh, Star, it's good to see you're finally awake," her friend said from his spot. He continued to eat as he waited for her parents to say something.

"Yeah," she replied softly. She dropped into her seat and placed what she wanted onto her plate. She took big bites and ignored the stares from those around her.

"How're you feeling," River asked. He had walked into the bedroom not long after his daughter had fallen asleep. Moon had left with him to tell her husband everything that had happened between Star and the Commission. Seeing her in front of him now, he could see how the stress was eating away at his little girl.

"Fine, I guess," she said without looking at him. She kept her eyes trained on the plate of food before her and focused on eating.

"I found out some stuff about Ms. Heinous. Wanna hear about it," Marco asked from beside her. He knew how much she wanted to help stop the evil headmistress and thought this was a good place to start.

"Not really. I just wanna eat my food and go back to bed," the teen said dejectedly. Her voice was void of her usual emotions, as was her face and posture. The others frowned at her lack of enthusiasm which prompted Moon to finally speak up.

"Mina's gone after her, so you don't have to worry about it anymore. I also talked to Heckapoo and-," she stopped when she saw Star's head shoot up. Her vacant expression had finally changed to one of anger.

"Well, that's just _great_! Now, she probably thinks that I crawled to you for help and she'll never see me as an adult," the teen groaned. This was _not_ what she wanted to hear upon waking up. She put her face in her hands as she hunched over in her chair.

"Star, if you would let me _finish_! Heckapoo said that Ms. Heinous is something far more dangerous than we had previously thought. She didn't want to put the bloodline in jeopardy. That's why she decided you shouldn't handle this. She doesn't even want me to interfere."

"Oh, of course, the precious 'Butterfly' bloodline," Star hissed but kept what she knew to herself. "Why couldn't she just say that instead of being a jerk? It would have been easier to handle than what she chose to say."

"She wanted me to tell you that she was sorry for the harsh things that she said," Moon informed.

"I'll believe that when she tells me herself _and_ to my face. I wasted a whole day because of her. I could have been looking for information on Eclipsa or making new spells," the acting queen said. She resumed eating and returned her eyes to her plate.

"Actually, my dear, your mother and I were thinking that you might need a break from all of this. Why don't you and Marco go to Earth for a couple of days and relax," River asked.

"Are you kidding!? I can't leave just because I had one rough day. Am I that bad that all of you would rather me be on Earth than Mewni?"

"No," her mother said, "we just don't like to see you so unhappy. This is all too much for you and it shows."

"I defeated _Toffee!_ Don't you think that I can handle this? You fought a battle and didn't get the chance to 'take a break', so why should I? I'm not even fighting a war, and everyone thinks I'm going to fall apart under the stress. I can do this, I know I can," Star stated angrily. She wasn't surprised that everyone was beginning to doubt her, the feeling that she had disappointed them came rushing back. "I can do this," she repeated to herself.

The others were stunned into silence, not knowing how to respond to her questions. Of course, they believed in her, but it didn't take a psychologist to see that Star was stressed about Ms. Heinous and Eclipsa. After a moment of silence, Star dropped her fork onto her empty plate with a clatter. She rose from her seat and left the dining hall and headed to her room. It seemed the only one who thought her capable enough to handle the truth and weight of the kingdom was Eclipsa.

 **GEGEGEG**

 **Author's Note: I'm going to be out of town for a couple of days, so I'm posting this early. Also, if you haven't seen it yet, go to YouTube for the new promo that was released at SDCC. It's awesome and I can't wait for the show to be back! Hope you enjoyed!**


	15. Chapter 15: Star Detectives

**Author's Note: This would have been longer and more from Eclipsa's view, but it seems I accidentally closed the doc before saving. I had to rewrite** _ **everything**_ **! Oh well, here's the next chapter.**

 **GEGEGEG**

 **Star Detectives**

The dark-haired queen had watched from the shadows as Star was faced with disbelieving friends and family, as well as taking the Commission head on before being completely ignored. _It seems_ , the former queen thought, _that things have really fallen apart since I was on the throne._ After seeing the blonde teen storm out of the dining hall for the second time that day, Eclipsa used her tunnels to reach Star's room before the teen could.

She felt sorry for the young girl. She really was trying her hardest to be a great ruler. Unfortunately, her subjects were far from compliant, creating more stress for the developing woman than need be. Eclipsa walked quietly through the dark and sat on the edge of Star's bed. She could already hear the heavy footsteps of the depressed teen as she approached her sanctuary. Fluffing a nearby pillow, Eclipsa waited as Star dejectedly opened the door to her room and slammed it shut, turning her light on in the process.

"Everything alright, dear?" She motioned for Star to sit next to her and held out the pillow. Gratefully, the blonde accepted the comforting object and sat down with a sigh.

"Do you think I'm a terrible queen," Star asked as she hugged the pillow, her eyes filled with worry and sadness.

"Have you abandoned your kingdom to marry a monster?"

"…No." Star looked confused at the questioned, but then realized it was a joke, and not a very good one at that. She looked sideways at the former queen, hoping for her to elaborate on her answer.

"Well, then I think you're a swell queen. Much better than I was according to Mewman history," she reasoned with a twinge of sass. "Besides, ruling was never easy, even for me."

"It just…feels like no one believes in me. I feel like such a disappointment to my family."

"What about Marco? How do you feel about him?"

"I don't know anymore. Ever since he told my parents about our little agreement, I don't feel like I can trust him. I know that's why I haven't seen much of him lately and why he's been working his butt off, but…," Star sighed into her pillow, her shoulders sagging like the tired branches of a tree. "Have you found anything out about your family?"

"No, I was hoping the Commission would say something before you met with them, but they just sat there like lumps of dirt. Whatever they know, they're hiding it very well." Eclipsa moved closer to wrap an arm around her adopted many-greats-granddaughter.

"So, you heard my meeting too?" The teen slumped into the woman's embrace, tired from the day she'd had. Eclipsa's hug was different from her mother's, she couldn't explain it, but she could tell there was a difference. Neither was better than the other, it just felt like acceptance while her mother's hug was made from love.

"Yes, but don't worry dear. If you weren't acting queen already, I would have taken away your mother's title and given it to you. One must know and accept their weaknesses to become stronger and closer to reaching their full potential. Remember, 'all knowledge is good knowledge'," Eclipsa reminded. Star nodded with a small smile. She knew that Eclipsa would understand and speak to her like an adult, unlike her mother who only wanted to coddle her like a child.

"Alright, let's look at what we know. First, Ms. Heinous was sucking the souls out of young princesses to retain her youth. Second, she traveled to an old monster temple and the Commission panicked. Third, they don't want us to interfere with whatever it is that Ms. Heinous is involved in. Fourth, someone's tampered with our family tree and I might not be related to you."

"What 'old monster temple', I didn't hear anything about that," the former queen questioned. She felt a twinge at the mention of such a place, reminding her of the place her and her family had chosen to hide out at.

"There's this weird temple in the mountains that has all these drawings of monsters. Ludo, and Toffee I guess, used it as a hide out. There's like, red pillars and stuff," Star explained as she used her hands to try and depict what she was describing.

"Do you…do you think you could take me there? You know, so we can look for signs of what the Commission's hiding," Eclipsa asked. Star's eyes lit up as she threw her pillow behind her.

"Like cops!?" The teen jumped up as she made a finger gun at the nearest wall.

"Uh, I don't know what you mean."

"Detectives, investigators, people who look for clues to solve a mystery. We can be secret detectives like the _Mystery Gang_ from this cool show Marco showed me. There's like, four of them and this talking dog that solve mysteries but aren't legally allowed to, so they do it secretly," the teen began to ramble about cops and other things as she began to change her outfit to a black suit with a matching cap and gloves. Eclipsa shrugged and waited for the teen to calm down.

"So, we can go?"

"Yeah, you want a matching suit?"

"No thanks, I like my outfit the way it is. How are we going to get there?" The former queen looked around for a means of transportation. The teen instantly deflated and stopped smiling at the question.

"Oh, I didn't think about that. Marco's the one with the dimensional scissors and my parents would know if I used the royal scissors. Do you have any ideas?"

"Hm, how about we…steal the scissors? No one would know if we left quickly and returned them before morning. It's late, so no one should need them, right?"

"Oh, that's a great idea! I know where Manfred keeps them," Star said excitedly.

"I can get them in a jiffy, so wait here for me," the dark-haired woman said as she crawled into her tunnel. Star sat on her bed and swung her legs as she waited for the queen to return. Several minutes later, a portal opened into her room as Eclipsa stepped out, scissors in hand. "All aboard."

Star took the scissors and opened a portal to the monster temple Eclipsa wanted to see. Immediately after stepping out, the two heard voices and moved to hide behind a wall. Eclipsa cautiously stuck her head out to see who was in the building with them. She frowned when she saw the red dress of Heckapoo and part of Rhombulus' body.

"It's the Commission," she whispered to Star. The teen opened her mouth in silent shock and strained her ears to hear what the two members were saying.

"Are you _sure_ that no one messed with it," Heckapoo whined as they neared the wall the two females were hiding behind.

"I'm absolutely sure. Plus, I don't even think Ms. Heinous really remembers this place," Rhombulus said as he trudged by. "I'm sure Mina would have noticed by now if she had. I mean, she lives here to make sure no one messes with it."

"With how serious Ms. Heinous is becoming, I wouldn't be surprised if she took down Mina. She's not exactly as strong as she used to be."

"I don't know, I'm tired of hiding this whole ordeal and it's giving me a headache."

"Whatever, let's go check up on Moon and the others. I don't want them left open to any attacks," Heckapoo said. The sound of tearing fabric could be heard as the room lit up. Not long after, the portal closed and the two were surrounded by silence and darkness once again. Eclipsa stepped out and gasped at the room before her.

"It's been so long," she said with tears in her eyes.

"What do you mean," Star asked, confused at her reaction to the decrepit temple.

"This used to be where me and Globgor lived with my daughter," the queen informed a shocked Star. The teen was about to say something when a hand reached out and shoved her away from Eclipsa, knocking her to the ground.

 **GEGEGEG**

 **Author's Note: Dun dun dunnnnnn! The plot thickens. : ]**

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	16. Chapter 16: Interesting

**Author's Note: I am** _ **so**_ **sorry this was posted a bit later than usual. I forgot what today was and remembered, like, an hour ago. Hope you enjoy!**

 **GEGEG**

 **Interesting…**

Star slid across the floor, hitting a wall with a loud thud, dust filling the air around her. Eclipsa turned to face their attacker, gasping as, she too, was thrown back. Star jumped up, wand at the ready, and brightened the room to see who was pushing her and Eclipsa around.

"Show yourself, you…meanie," Star yelled as the figure began to appear. "Wait…Mina _Loveberry_!?" Next to her, Eclipsa stood up, dusting off her pink robe with an annoyed expression.

"Mud Sister, what're you doing with the Queen of Darkness," Mina asked, puzzled by the pair. She stepped forward, only stopping when she saw that Star wasn't lowering her wand.

"Uh…I can totally explain why I'm with Eclipsa," the teen looked over her shoulder for help from the older woman. Eclipsa shrugged, a look of doubt on her face. "We're uh, um, looking for the Commission! Yeah, we need to talk to them about…uh, Ms. Heinous," Star lied. Mina squinted at the two, not buying it.

"Star caught me. I have information on the headmistress' whereabouts," the former queen added. She pretended to be captured by the teen and kneeled before Star. Mina continued to look unconvinced, arms now folded across her chest.

"Well, yeah! You're her mother, after all. I'd be surprised if you _didn't_ have information on Meteora," Mina stated bluntly. The two royals gasped in unison. Eclipsa frowned deeply at the bombshell, eyes looking off into the distance. Star was stunned into silence, but quickly recovered. The teen lowered her wand, cautiously placing it back in it's respective pocket and grabbed the dimensional scissors.

"That's why we need to see the Commission. But first," Star said as she pulled the shocked mother up with her free hand, "I have to hand her off to my parents, so we'll just…" Star quickly pulled out the scissors and pushed Eclipsa through the portal before Mina could react. Star hastily slid through the swirling vortex, closing it behind her as Mina charged at them.

"Where…are we," Eclipsa asked. She looked around before realizing they were in a completely different dimension.

"We're on Earth. It was the only place I could think of going without accidentally appearing in front of someone. Morning was approaching, which meant Marco could've been in my room, or my parents," Star said, clearly panicking. She waved the sharp tool around, causing Eclipsa to move away from her.

"But Star, these scissors belong in Butterfly Castle. Someone's going to see that they're missing," Eclipsa reminded, distraught as well. She was _not_ ready to learn that the person everyone was looking for more than her was her very own daughter. The same child Eclipsa had almost been certain was dead.

"Don't you understand? Mina will tell everyone that me and you were together. My parents, the Commission, everyone will be looking for us. We're on the lam!" Star tugged at the sides of her hair, reminding Eclipsa of a young Moon.

"We need to find Ms. Heinous and confirm what we heard," the dark-haired woman said, pacing before the frightened teen. "But most importantly, I think we should return the scissors and get you in bed. If you're asleep, they won't believe that woman."

"I don't know if this'll work. I mean, yeah, Mina's crazy, but Rhombulus said that's why she was there. She was looking to see if you would show up to find your family." Star sighed. "No matter what we do, we're both wanted. If they find me, they'll lock me up or freeze me in a crystal." A thought crossed the teen's already crowded mind. "Great, who's gonna run the kingdom?!"

"Well, I think your mother's healed enough to run the kingdom again. We'll just have to find proof that something far more dubious is at play." Star nodded, a sad look in her eyes.

"Guess I couldn't handle the throne for that long, huh," Star said dejectedly.

"We'll have to worry about that later. Isn't your friend from Earth?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, it would make sense for him to look for us here," Eclipsa reasoned.

"Oh, you're right! Star facepalmed, groaning at her own stupidity. "We need to find a place to go without being caught."

"I mean, I managed to live inside the castle without anyone noticing. If we stay in the tunnels, we'll stay close to all information sources _and_ be on familiar territory. Plus, I need to change," Eclipsa suggested, looking down at her dirty robe and slippers.

"Alright, I'll let you work the scissors then." Star handed the woman the pair of scissors. Eclipsa took her time as she tore a hole in the fabric of space. She slowly stuck her head out, looking both ways before entering where ever the portal led. She waved for Star to follow. Once the portal had closed, the two royals could hear guards running up and down corridors. Obviously, word had spread that Star Butterfly was with the evil queen, Eclipsa.

"Come on," the fugitive whispered to the blonde teen. Star followed her to a poorly maintenance room filled with horrifying winged rat creatures. Eclipsa removed a corner of a torn mattress to reveal a small stash of clothes and snookers. "Hungry?"

"A little, yeah. Have you been living in this dump?" Star grimaced as she took in the room's decrepit state. She watched as the former queen moved about the room with a sense of familiarity.

"Well, this used to be my room…back then. When I first moved in, I noticed that no one came to this part of the castle, so I made use of it once more." The dark-haired queen passed a candy bar to the teen. Star turned away to give the woman some privacy as she changed back into her dress.

 **GEGEG**

Ever since Star had stormed out of the dining hall, Moon couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. She wanted to support her daughter, she just didn't know how. She tossed and turned for hours, an uneasy feeling keeping her from sleep. Just as she was finally drifting off to sleep, Marco slammed the door open. Moon sat up while River rolled off the bed in a flurry of tangled limbs and sheets.

"What? What is it, what's the matter," Moon asked, the uneasy feeling intensifying. Marco took a few deep breaths as he reached their bed, a look of fear and alarm gracing his face.

"Mina saw Star with Eclipsa," the boy breathed out. Moon and River gasped at the news. Moon slid out of bed, nearing Marco, hoping for a sign that it was some cruel prank.

"Wha-, Eclipsa?" River finally untangled himself and stood up to shake the teen. "Where are they?"

"We don't know, but they were at that one monster temple when Mina found them. Star said that she had captured Eclipsa, but then ran off with her after Mina said something. Heckapoo won't say what it was, but her and Rhombulus are _freaking_ _out_!"

"Why would she be with Eclipsa," Moon questioned. She limped over to her window to look out at the rising sun. "It doesn't make any sense. After everything that's happened, why partner with _her_ ," the queen spat out. She didn't forgive the former queen for her injuries or for kidnapping Star.

"I'm not sure, but Star doesn't have my scissors so…," Marco thought aloud. Moon turned quickly, hurting her ribs in the process.

"River, the royal scissors!" River nodded, rushing out to see if they had been taken. "Marco, do you have any idea where she might have gone?" He shook his head.

"No. I checked her room, but it's empty. She wasn't in the Tapestry Room or the Dining Hall either. Mina's waiting in the Throne Room if you want to speak to her," Marco informed. Moon wrung her hands, worried about her daughter's latest decisions.

"I want to speak with the Commission, as well as Mina. I need answers."

 **GEGEG**

 **Author's Note: Again, sorry this was later than usual. It feels like we might be nearing the end of this story, so buckle in kiddos!**


	17. Chapter 17: Update

Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't updated, but I'm dealing with college junk right now. I promise that I will update once everything is settled. Wish me luck guys, I seriously need it. T.T


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